A Petechia, or Petechiae in its plural form, is a flat, tiny dot under the skin’s surface than can be red, brown, purple or black in color. The dots themselves contain blood (and sometime mucous) that has hemorraged from broken capillaries into the skin. While some may dismiss as a simple bruise or bump, having these can indicate a serious health problem such as an autoimmune disease, a vitamin deficiency, leukemia, cirrhosis or other blood disorder. Petechiae can also be caused by the use of blood thinners, aspirin and cortisone as an allergic reaction.

Facial petechiae are caused by physical trauma such as extreme coughing, vomiting or crying, where the eyes are most likely to be affected. It is fairly common after childbirth due to pressure changes during delivery. In this case these are completely harmless and usually disappear in a matter of days.

Sometimes a petechiael rash may appear out of nowhere in those who may seem to be in good health; in others, it is preceded for weeks by a debilitating pain in the lower limbs where the petechiae normally originate. Petechiae may also be accompanied by a fever. Normally, these disappear in a few days by themselves but if more appear in the same area, they begin to show in the upper extremities or is accompanied by a fever, it is important to get medical attention immediately.

Treatment of petechiae depends on the underlying cause. A problem due to injury can be helped with ice. If you develop petechiae, see your dermatologist first so they can determine how serious it really is. Blood tests, x-ray and possibly a spinal tap may be necessary to diagnose whether a serious ailment such as meningitis is a factor.