We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What is Petechial Rash?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated Mar 03, 2024
Our promise to you
The Health Board is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At The Health Board, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

A petechial rash is a collection of bright red very small dots or points on the skin. This can occur in many different areas of the body and results from bleeding from skin capillaries. Underlying cause of blood leakage from the capillaries can range from mild to severe in nature. Presence of petechiae can be nothing to worry about or it might represent presence of a serious condition that needs medical attention.

Some of the more benign causes of petechial rash include blunt injury or activities that are prone to making capillaries leak. A small bruise could be dotted with petechiae, for example. Extreme pressure from the inside the body, as from repeated vomiting or hard coughing might result in a petechiae on the face, particularly around the eyes where presence of capillaries is significant. These dots will usually resolve after some time and aren’t viewed as a considerable risk.

On the other hand, there are a number of serious medical conditions that result in a petechial rash. Certain illnesses like mononucleosis, meningitis, chicken pox, measles, and mumps can cause petechiae in various parts of the body. More seriously AIDs, diseases that result in low platelet counts like thrombocytopenia, blood cancers such as leukemia, lupus or blood infection may result in these tiny dots occurring on many areas of the body.

There are other ways this type of rash could develop. Some medications like those designed to treat cancer, blood thinners and NSAIDs, medicines used in the treatment of malaria, or sulfa antibiotics are associated with potential to create this rash. People who are alcoholics are prone to getting petechiae, as are pregnant women. In all, risk of having evidence of this rash increases as people age, but it’s also high for newborn babies, potentially as a response to movement through the birth canal.

Given the diverse causal factors of a petechial rash, it can be important to get medical evaluation if the cause is not clearly evident. Most vital is to rule out presence of diseases like thrombocytopenia, autoimmune conditions, or serious viral and bacterial infection. It’s not always necessary to get medical help if the cause is clearly known. A night spent vomiting that results in petechiae around the eyes is not always an indication to see a doctor.

Beyond appearance of petechiae, the petechial rash usually doesn’t have that many more symptoms. Pinpoint dots are generally flat, they typically don’t itch like a prickly heat rash, and it take a few weeks to months for them to resolve. If they do not resolve after several weeks, medical advice should be sought.

The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen , Writer
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a The Health Board contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Discussion Comments

By Agni3 — On May 14, 2011

Not very long ago my little boy began to run a very high fever all of a sudden; it was 102.8. I immediately called his doctor and asked the nurse if I could bring him in. She was obviously busy and very rudely told me that I was overreacting. His temperature was only from teething, she informed me.

I felt like an idiot after I spoke with this lady and took her advice. However, when his fever shot up even higher, followed by a very obvious petechial rash days later, I took him to the emergency room. There was a face rash as well as a rash all over his little body.

He had scarlet fever, which can be quite serious if left untreated. I felt even worse for listening to the nurse who was just too busy to give good advice or see another sick infant that day.

By Eviemae — On May 12, 2011

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had the morning sickness from hades. Every single day, I woke up sick and went through the entire day and night with repeated trips to the bathroom.

I was literally vomiting upwards of three times a day – sometimes that many times in one hour. And anything could set it off – smells, chicken, a person with a particularly bad pimple – anything.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, I began to notice this rash all around my face and on my growing belly. The rash was even on my neck.

It was petechial. The doctor assured me it was quite common in my situation and not hurtful in any way; that it would eventually go away all together.

And now, I have a beautiful daughter who was more than worth the morning sickness and the unsightly rash!

Tricia Christensen

Tricia Christensen

Writer

With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a The Health Board contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.