Ecchymoses; Skin spots - red; Pinpoint red spots on the skin; Petechiae

Protect aging skin. Avoid trauma such as bumping or pulling on skin areas. For a cut or scrape, use direct pressure to stop the bleeding.

If you have a drug reaction, ask your health care provider about stopping the drug. Otherwise, follow your prescribed therapy to treat the underlying cause of the problem.

Contact your health care provider if:

• You have sudden bleeding into the skin for no apparent reason
• You notice unexplained bruising that does not go away

The health care provider will examine you and ask questions about the bleeding, such as:

• Have you recently had an injury or accident?
• Have you been ill lately?
• Have you had radiation therapy or chemotherapy?
• What other medical treatments have you had?
• Do you take aspirin more than once a week?
• Do you take Coumadin, heparin, or other "blood thinners" (anticoagulants)?
• Has the bleeding occurred repeatedly?
• Have you always had a tendency to bleed into the skin?
• Did the bleeding start in infancy (for example, with circumcision)?
• Did it start with surgery or when you had a tooth pulled?

The following diagnostic tests may be performed:

• Coagulation tests including INR and prothrombin time
• CBC with platelet count and blood differential
• Bone marrow biopsy

Images

Black eye

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Bleeding into the skin Overview

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Bleeding into the skin Prevention

Review Date: 05/01/2011
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)