Petechiae are point hemorrhages in the mucous membranes or skin integuments. As a result of this, small spots are formed, the diameter of which is about two millimeters. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that red blood cells penetrate through the walls of the capillaries.
When the disease is just beginning, these points have a bright red color. Over time, they turn brown. Such formations are on the same level with the skin and are not palpable. Petechiae differ from roseola in that they do not disappear when pressed with a finger.
Petechiae may look like red dots on the face. They can appear with typhoid, purpura, septicemia, smallpox, Vergolf disease, and mourning. When examining patients with these diseases, red dots on the face were always observed, which had a pink color and did not disappear after pressing with a finger, and after a while acquired a brown color.
Petechiae are primary and secondary. In primary, red currents on the face disappear after a few days. First, their outlines become blurry, the color fades, and then they cease to be visible at all.
Sometimes red dots on the face can acquire a greenish tint and become covered with blisters with pus. This is characteristic of recurrent fever and is quite rare.
The petechiae are smaller in size than rose-colored spots, and they appear less intensely. Sometimes red dots on a child’s face can be mistaken for insect bites. But an experienced doctor will immediately recognize the petechiae. They are accompanied by hemorrhage of blood vessels in the skin without ruptures, so often this symptom is not taken into account.
Secondary petechiae are characterized by the fact that blood cells leak into adjacent tissues. This phenomenon does not disappear if you press with your finger. So, rose-colored spots always develop into secondary petechiae. This phenomenon can affect people of all ages. Getting rid of petechiae is as simple as getting rid of pores on the face, it will not work if they do not pass by themselves. In this case, only surgical intervention will help.
This procedure is cosmetic in nature and cannot give a full guarantee of eliminating the reappearance of petechiae.
Most often, petechiae appear due to injuries and bumps. On the face, they can occur due to severe coughing, vomiting. This is quite common in children. Strong pressure can also cause red spots, applying a tourniquet. In these cases, petechiae pass on their own in a few days. They are not a symptom of the disease and are not dangerous to health.
However, in some cases, petechiae may indicate thrombocytopenia. This condition may be due to the use of specific drugs or the presence of infection in the body.
Red spots can also form due to bleeding disorders. Diseases such as systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, infectious endocarditis, periarteritis, hypercorticism, scurvy can also be accompanied by the appearance of petechiae.