What Do Red Spots on Skin Mean?
Introduction
When there are instances of red spots present on the skin, they are treated as a common form of medical complaint. If the red spots occur as an outbreak, it can be termed as a rash, and these are known to occur due to an infection caused to the skin, such as an allergic reaction, disseminated infection that may spread throughout the body, or any kind of irritants caused to the skin. If there is a red rash or a red bump that is flat, then it is medically termed as macule, but if it is a raised bump, then it is termed as papule. The medical term for the redness of the skin is known as erythema. Red rashes are also known to be linked with symptoms such as itching on the body or hives. There are various medical conditions that are known to be related to the symptom of a red rash or spot. There are multiple causes of red spots on the skin; it can be due to acne, atopic dermatitis, bites from stings or bugs, allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, hand, foot, or mouth disease, measles, or roseola.
Let us look at few of them in greater detail:
- Birthmarks: These are known to be blemishes that appear on the skin and become quite noticeable at birth, or it can appear shortly after the birth. There have been a significant number of newborns who do have birthmarks. There are vascular birthmarks, wherein there is a purple, red, or pink blemish, and these are normally caused due to an abnormal blood vessel that is present under the skin. A few individuals are said to be born with a pigmented birthmark that is mostly brown in color and are mostly caused due to pigment cells being clustered.
- Angiomas: Angiomas, which are also known as red moles or cherry angiomas, are a common type of skin growth that are seen to develop in most of the areas of the body. These red moles are also known as senile angiomas. These red spots are mostly found in individuals who are above 30 years of age. It is basically a collection of small blood vessels which occurs inside the cherry angioma, thereby giving it an appearance that is reddish in color. When there is this type of skin growth, it is mostly not a cause of concern unless it starts to bleed or change in color, shape, or size. In such cases, one should speak to the doctor the moment they notice any kind of bleeding or any change in the appearance of the red mole, since it can be a potential symptom of skin cancer. Angiomas are basically bright red in color and circular or oval in shape. They are usually small in size, wherein they can range from the size of a pinpoint to one fourth of an inch in diameter. Some of the angiomas may appear quite smooth and even with the skin, whereas in certain other cases, it can appear as a slightly raised one.
- Acne: Acne is seen as a common type of skin condition that leads to spots, and they are known to occur whenever any hair follicles are plugged with dead skin cells or oily skin. Acne is seen as a common occurrence on the face, shoulders, neck, back, and chest. Acne cannot be termed as a dangerous skin condition, but if not taken care of properly, it can lead to skin scars. Acne is considered an inflammatory and chronic skin condition that results in pimples, blackheads, cysts, whiteheads, and nodules. The treatment for acne would be based on the severity of the issue and how persistent it is. There are also home remedies to get them treated.
- Allergic reaction: Our immune system is known to be responsible for protecting the body against any foreign substance, which can include a virus or bacteria, but, in certain cases, the immune system could mistakenly identify certain substances that actually do not pose a threat to the body. These substances are known as allergens. In such cases, when the immune system reacts, it leads to an allergic reaction. This allergic reaction can be caused when an individual eats, touches, or inhales any of the allergen. One of the symptoms that can be caused due to an allergic reaction is the itchy, red spots that start to appear on the skin. However, they are temporary and should gradually fade away, but if it tends to become worse, then one should reach out to the doctor.
- Pityriasis Rosea: Pityriasis Rosea is another common type of skin problem which can also lead to skin rashes. This condition can occur at any age for an individual, but quite often, it is seen in those who are within the age group of 10 to 35 years of age. Pityriasis Rosea is mostly harmless. The rash that appears in Pityriasis Rosea mostly begins with a single, pink colored patch, which is either oval or round in shape and has a raised, scaly border. The patch would range in size from 2 cm to 10 cm. Larger patches are nothing to be worried about and are seen as a common occurrence. About half of the individuals who get these red rashes do experience itching, which is mild in form. This red rash is known to last for about a period of six to eight weeks, but in certain cases, it can last for about several months.
- Keratosis pilaris: Keratosis pilaris is also known as Follicular Keratosis. It leads to red spots on the skin through the dry patches, which greatly resemble acne. It is known to cause clusters of small, dry bumps which are reddish or light brown in color and mostly form around a hair follicle. These red spots that are formed due to Keratosis pilaris are often confused with acne. The reason why they appear is due to a protein known as keratin. This protein is basically white and, in certain cases, can be seen through the affected region. This is known to collect around the hair follicles and then becomes hard, thereby cutting off the top of the follicle and not allowing the new hair to surface in that region. Hence, due to this condition, a few individuals would find a circular hair just under the bump when they try to push it to the core.
- Hives: Hives are also medically known as urticaria. They are basically raised red bumps or welts that are present on the skin. These hives can appear just about anywhere on the body and mostly look like tiny spots, or it can also turn out to be large forms of interconnected spots. The individual hives are known to last for a few hours, or it can take about a week, and then the new ones would tend to replace the ones that have faded. Most of the time, allergic reactions are known to cause hives, which can happen due to multiple reasons, such as when the temperature becomes extreme, certain illnesses, certain kinds of infections, or stress.
- Rosacea: Many a times, when one talks about rosacea, it is associated with a red face. Though it is true that this condition can lead to facial redness, at the same time, there are also other symptoms of this medical condition. It can range from the occurrence of pimples, which can appear on the cheeks, to thick skin on the nose. Rosacea is known to mostly appear on the face, but there are other parts where it can also appear, such as the neck, chest, scalp, eyes, and ears.