What is this??? - health

[Talkabtit101]

Just wondering if anyone could tell me if they've had this or know what it is?

Noticed this afternoon and after a worry with high WBC ( all has returned normal ) my anxiety is quite high.

Any information is appreciated. Posted in AIBU for traffic.

Picture with flash and without.

Just wondering if it is a bruise, insect bite as it's been warm and we've been in the park today, or if it is something else.

Thank you in advance.

Looks like a very faint spider vein to me.

I have one that’s been there for years.

A symptom of health anxiety is seeking lots of reassurance. Put your phone away. Don't Google. Leave it and watch ... If it stays and doesn't change for a week or a fortnight then call your doctor. Very few things in the UK can bite and make you poorly but if you do start to feel unwell call nhs 24.

I originally thought spider vein too, but this is like dots? Instead of a straight line like a usual vein x

Looks like a very slight bruise to me. I have loads of marks like that on and off on a weekly basis!

The dots are your hair follicles.

The dots are follicles, but the purple/red around them is what I'm concerned about.

It's a bruise, sometimes they occur in straight lines down the vein. If it isn't hot and it isn't swelling then you are fine. Take care.

Defo a bruise - don't worry. I know easier said than done,

It's NOTHING, literally.
😊

It's just a bruise. My legs are covered from dogs jumping all over me!

How old are you, OP? I have several unexplained marks that have developed over the years and some look very similar.
They could be bruises or spider veins, it won’t be anything to worry about.
Make a plan now to speak to a pharmacist if it hasn’t gone away in a few days or if it is still worrying you. Step away from doctor Google. You’ll be fine.

@42isthemeaning I'm 24 next month c

Please don't go to the pharmacist for a bruise unless it's the things I said before.

OP - full disclosure - I’m not a doctor but I have been where you are right now with this kind of anxiety. There’s nothing wrong with checking with a health professional for reassurance.
Obviously see a doctor if it seems to be an infection as pp said - a pharmacist will send you in the right direction if needed,
Have a good evening!

This unfortunately isn't true. Asking for and receiving reassurance regarding health complaints when you have health anxiety is addictive. It exacerbates the anxiety until you find yourself in a cycle of needing more and more reassurance from more and different people. There are very few illnesses or skin conditions where a week of waiting to monitor the symptom will have a major impact in the longer term. With health anxiety, you need to retrain your brain away from seeking reassurance. One way of doing this is setting time limits. "I won't ask anyone about this or research it on the web for two days", then "I won't ask anyone or research for one week". Most of the time the initial symptom, rash disappears or lessens in this time. If it doesn't then you give yourself permission to check it out. But only via a doctor. It is important not to Google. Every symptom on Google leads you to your inevitable death.

@Talkabtit101 Have you small children?

It's also really important not to ask for medical advice on forums. You will rarely get consensus but will likely be told that a posters great aunt Jemima's, dog sitter's, mum's cousin had a bruise just like that before she died of a rare joint case of bubonic plague and leprosy.

It looks like maybe insect/spider bite. But doesn't look inflamed or infected or anything. If they feel well then I'd just put some antihistamine cream on it maybe. I doubt it's anything serious. It's tiny.

@Jumblebum is spot-on. Reassurance isn’t helpful for health anxiety in the longer term.

OP, kindly, I can barely see anything. I am more than twice your age and have blemishes all over the place- loads of freckles and moles, random patches of discolouration, spots, inflamed hair follicles… as you age you will acquire more and more random marks on your skin- all/most of which will be nothing to worry about.

I would give it a few days and see. Obviously if you are experiencing pain, a high temperature or the mark becomes bigger, then you should seek medical advice.

Hey all thank you. And I do take your advice on health anxiety seriously. I am awaiting CBT, because it is dreadful. This morning it looks less noticeable in all honestly, just looks bruised. Last night it looked like 4 in a row bruises, and as someone who is openly a hypochondriac it did frighten me.

Thank you everybody, and yes to the PP, I have one daughter age 4 🙂🤍

Ah yes, that really does look like a bruise. It didn’t look like a bruise to me from previous pics- I think because it looked quite pink, but in this photo it does look like a bruise- starting to go purpley/grey.

Glad you are going to have CBT- I found it so helpful for Health Anxiety. As hard as it is, you really do have to try not to Google - it always exacerbates the anxiety because you deliberately, sub-consciously seek out the worst case scenarios to torment yourself with- that’s how HA works- it needs something to feed off. I hope you find the CBT really helpful in breaking those anxiety spirals. 💐

@Talkabtit101 My child was 4 when I started to experience crippling health anxiety. I think it was about accepting that whilst I now had responsibility for this perfect and amazing little human being, I also had little control over some aspects of their life...including illness. Like you I worried about every bruise, mole, twinge. I sought reassurance at every turn. It got so bad I stopped eating and sleeping and became very ill. I spoke to my GP and was prescribed sertraline and put on the waiting list for CBT. About six months later I was able to come off the sertraline and had stopped CBT. My nhs CBT therapist was awful so I went private and that therapist was AMAZING. I still use some of the techniques she taught me when I feel anxious about anything.

I know it can feel overwhelming @Talkabtit101 but I also know that you can put health anxiety behind you. Just make sure that your therapist suits you. My first one was very gentle and almost nervous, the second was an older woman who exuded confidence in her knowledge and made me feel safe.

Thank you @Jumblebum for your kind words, it's terrible isn't it. I had it under control for a very long term, then a family emergency happens two years ago and i haven't been able to step out of it this time around.

@Waitingfordoggo That's fine, it didn't look like much last night I agree, but there's definitely something there now. I'll keep an eye on it over the next couple days if it starts changing colour I'll know it'll just be a bruise.

Or you rubbed against a plant with irritant leaves or a stinging nettle or a bramble, I probably get some sort of mark every time I do any work in the garden from some thing or another, it will almost certainly just fade away, put a bit of Savlon on if it's annoying, or take an over the counter antihistamine if it gets itchy and looks like an allergic reaction.

It's a teeny, tiny bruise.
Please get some help for your health anxiety.