What are red spots?
Red spots can be caused by a variety of conditions, including
infections, allergic reactions, and inflammatory processes. Red spots
can appear anywhere on the body.
Red spots can be harmless or benign, or they may be a sign of a serious
disease such as leukemia. They can appear suddenly or develop over a
longer period of time, depending on the underlying disease, disorder or
condition. Red spots may be tiny to large in size and cover a small to
sizable area of the body. Red spots can be itchy or painful, flat or
raised, and vary in color from pink to bright red to a purplish red
color.
Tiny pinpoint red dots called petechiae are due to broken blood vessels
just underneath the skin and may indicate a life-threatening condition,
such as meningitis. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if
you, or someone you are with, have red spots accompanied by a stiff
neck, change in alertness, high fever, difficulty breathing, bloody
stools, or swelling of the face or tongue.
Seek prompt medical care if the red spots are persistent or you are concerned about your symptoms.
What other symptoms might occur with red spots?
Red spots may be accompanied by other symptoms, which vary depending on
the underlying disease, disorder or condition. For example, you may have
a fever if the red spots are caused by an infectious or inflammatory
process, such as measles or rubella.
Skin symptoms that may occur along with red spots
- Blistering and oozing of discharge that crusts over and dries
- Irritation
- Itching
- Pain
- Pustules
- Rash
- Scaling
- Swelling
Other symptoms that may occur along with red spots
- Decreased appetite
- Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, aches and pains)
- Irritability in infants and children
- Joint pain
- Red eyes
- Sneezing and runny nose
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
- Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
- High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Major rectal bleeding, bloody stool, bloody urine, or vomiting blood
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
- Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, or choking
- Severe headache
- Spontaneous bleeding
- Stiff neck
- Sudden swelling of tongue, mouth, lips or face
What are red spots?
Red spots can be caused by a variety of conditions, including
infections, allergic reactions, and inflammatory processes. Red spots
can appear anywhere on the body.
Red spots can be harmless or benign, or they may be a sign of a serious
disease such as leukemia. They can appear suddenly or develop over a
longer period of time, depending on the underlying disease, disorder or
condition. Red spots may be tiny to large in size and cover a small to
sizable area of the body. Red spots can be itchy or painful, flat or
raised, and vary in color from pink to bright red to a purplish red
color.
Tiny pinpoint red dots called petechiae are due to broken blood vessels
just underneath the skin and may indicate a life-threatening condition,
such as meningitis. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if
you, or someone you are with, have red spots accompanied by a stiff
neck, change in alertness, high fever, difficulty breathing, bloody
stools, or swelling of the face or tongue.
Seek prompt medical care if the red spots are persistent or you are concerned about your symptoms.
What other symptoms might occur with red spots?
Red spots may be accompanied by other symptoms, which vary depending on
the underlying disease, disorder or condition. For example, you may have
a fever if the red spots are caused by an infectious or inflammatory
process, such as measles or rubella.
Skin symptoms that may occur along with red spots
- Blistering and oozing of discharge that crusts over and dries
- Irritation
- Itching
- Pain
- Pustules
- Rash
- Scaling
- Swelling
Other symptoms that may occur along with red spots
- Decreased appetite
- Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, aches and pains)
- Irritability in infants and children
- Joint pain
- Red eyes
- Sneezing and runny nose
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
- Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
- High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Major rectal bleeding, bloody stool, bloody urine, or vomiting blood
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
- Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, or choking
- Severe headache
- Spontaneous bleeding
- Stiff neck
- Sudden swelling of tongue, mouth, lips or face