Petechia

Under petechiae refers to a variety of large pinhead bleeding from the capillaries in the skin or mucous membranes, which refers to a disorder of primary hemostasis usually. Often occur as first smallest blood spot on the ankles and lower legs.

They are signs of a disorder of hemostasis, it is usually to a reduced number or an impaired platelet function, such as in autoimmune thrombocytopenia or skin damage with their vessels ( aging skin, cortisone damage). The overdose of antiplatelet agents can sometimes lead to the formation of petechiae. Caused by a lack of blood platelets larger petechial hemorrhages are also called thrombocytopenic purpura, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, such as.

Furthermore, petechiae may as a result of leaks in the capillaries, for example, because inflammation of small blood vessels (vasculitis) occur, which may indicate among other vitamin deficiency. Typical of petechiae is that they are not with your finger ( or more visible with a glass spatula ) pushed away, that is, the redness is maintained even when pressure on the skin. This phenomenon is because it is an extravasation, which can not flow through the vessels by pressure.