Red spots on the skin - what does it mean

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The appearing red spots on the skin can have different reasons for judging the disease. In medicine, there are a large number of pathologies of various types with similar symptoms. It is very difficult to make a diagnosis on your own; only a doctor can accurately determine the disease after a deep diagnostic examination.

Physiology of red spots

The physiological process underlying such a pathology is an active rush of blood to a specific area of the skin, as a result of which a focus of redness is formed. Various factors can cause such symptoms, ranging from a cut in the skin, ending with infectious and oncological diseases.

Spots can be located all over the skin. Their localization together with the causes of the disease helps to accurately diagnose and choose the right treatment.

Red spots on the face and body can be temporary or permanent. In the first case, redness of the face in the cheek area can be caused by the expansion of blood vessels that lie close to the surface of the skin. These are non-hazardous spots that quickly disappear after vasoconstriction.

External aggressive factors can cause red spots:

• thermal or mechanical impact;
• allergy;
• fungus or other skin infection;
• insect bites.

Redness of this type occurs as a result of the influence of one factor or another and may remain even after external influences have been excluded.

A separate group includes spots associated with dermatological diseases, which, in turn, are divided into several subgroups. Redness caused by skin diseases can go away on its own, and in some cases reappear.

Often, these red spots are very itchy. Against the background of a dermatological disease, a skin infection may develop due to the fact that microbes enter the non-healing wound.

Red spots on the skin can cause infections or cancers of the skin and internal organs in adults. They can remain on the skin until the disease causing them is eliminated.

The spots can be vascular or the result of pigmentation. Any redness of the skin, even that that occurs after an insect bite, potentially carries a hidden danger.

On the external influence of an aggressive factor, a person may develop an acute allergy or a viral infection, the main symptom of which is a rash.

Such a pathology in a child is especially dangerous, since the child's body has a fragile immune system. Therefore, if any red spots appear, even those that do not cause concern and pass quickly, you should see a doctor.

The disappearance of red spots on the skin in some cases cannot guarantee recovery. It is possible that some internal organ is damaged, and the skin thus signals about internal problems.

With the development of a malignant tumor, changes in the skin are also noted. The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chances of stopping a dangerous pathology and saving a person's life.

Medical classification of red spots on the skin

In medicine, it is customary to divide such a skin pathology into 5 large groups, within which there are a large number of subgroups. Only experienced doctors specializing in a particular branch of medicine will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis after a visual examination of the patient.

Here are the main groups that red spots on the skin are divided into, depending on the reason for their origin:

• pigmented;
• dermatological;
• vascular;
• resulting from injury;
• resulting from a number of diseases of the skin, lymphatic system, internal organs.

Skin diseases can be infectious and non-infectious. If the red spots on the skin are caused by a pathogenic agent, then the disease is infectious. The reason for the appearance of such a symptom on the skin can be:

• viruses;
• fungi;
• germs that get on areas of the skin affected by psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis.

In this case, urgent hospitalization of the patient is needed, and not self-medication. This is due to the fact that through the damaged areas of the skin, pathogenic microorganisms will begin to penetrate into the blood.

As a result, with weakened immunity, sepsis or microbial damage to internal organs may develop. Such ailments are often fatal.

Redness of the skin is often accompanied by such dangerous infectious diseases:

• measles;
• rubella;
• shingles;
• diphtheria.

A patient with infectious diseases is usually isolated from others during treatment in order to prevent infection of other people. Treat infections of viral and microbial origin exclusively in accordance with the doctor's prescription. If they are ignored, irreversible consequences are not excluded.

Vascular and age spots can appear on the arms and legs. They are not contagious, but they should also induce a person to seek medical attention. The presence of a large number of pigment or vascular spots on the skin may indicate the development of dangerous pathologies of blood vessels, epithelium and internal organs.

Therapy for red spots on the skin

When such a symptom appears, you must immediately contact the clinic to a therapist or dermatologist, who will not only conduct an initial examination, but also give a direction for tests.

It is possible that the reddening of the skin was the result of an unbalanced diet. Then the doctor will tell you exactly, based on the results of laboratory tests, which vitamin the patient lacks. It may be a vitamin deficiency:

• A;
• group B;
• WITH;
• D;
• E.

If the problem is infectious, then treatment should begin with the fastest isolation of the patient from others. In this case, the doctor selects antibacterial or antiviral therapy, prescribes bed rest.

If the etiology of red spots is unclear, the doctor may send for a cytological examination. Such tests help to detect cancer in the early stages and to prescribe treatment to the patient in a timely manner.

You can independently treat only red spots on the skin, which appeared as a result of an insect bite, friction or strong mechanical stress, and even then not in all cases.

If a person is allergic, then the appearance of red spots all over the body should be the reason for an urgent call for an ambulance. Doctors will give an injection that will prevent the rapid development of Quincke's edema.

In case of severe blows and bruises, the help of a doctor is also required. There is a great risk of developing congestion in places of such damage.

If children or adults develop red spots on the skin and the cause is unknown, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Only a doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe a truly effective treatment that will help eliminate the underlying cause.

Summarize

1. Redness on the skin can occur due to various external and internal causes.
2. If red spots appear on the body, you should immediately call an ambulance.
3. Parents should carefully examine the child for rashes on the skin, and if they are found, consult a doctor, since there is a high risk of developing an infectious disease of a viral type.
4. You should never self-medicate when red spots appear on the skin. Only a doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis on the basis of examination and test results.