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Original poster

Tiny red spots on arms

43 replies

ThatsBullshirt · 18/04/2022 20:41

I've looked at Dr Google and worried myself sick tonight. I know I should have but my health anxiety is out of control at the minute and I had hoped it would ease my mind.

Yesterday afternoon I noticed I have some tiny, pinprick-sized red spots on my arms which Dr Google says might be petechiae. Unlike 99% of the pictures online, mine are not clustered together or rash-like but rather dotted over (mostly) my forearms. There is more than 25 dots over both arms but as they are so small it's hard to actually get a proper number. I've got no other symptoms although I have just gotten over a rather rotten cold which seemed to develop into a bit of a sinus infection for a couple of days. I'm pretty sure they aren't cherry angiomas as I have two of them and they are raised and slightly bigger.

I know I should make a GP appointment but I think I might wait a day or two to see if they disappear or if any more appear first. The last couple of times I've asked for a blood test due to worrying about iron deficiency I have been fobbed off so I'm not wanting to jump too quickly at trying to get an appointment.

Does anyone know what can cause this? Other than leukemia which is what I keep reading and terrifying myself about. Maybe a vitamin deficiency or something? I've attached a picture but it's really hard to get a decent one with how small they are.

Tiny red spots on arms
OP posts:
Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 19/04/2022 08:06

I found more today on my stomach, chest and legs that may or may not have been there already - I hadn't looked. Going to phone the GP today instead of waiting.

OP posts:
Whatdoyawannado · 19/04/2022 08:52

I've had loads of these all over the tops of both arms for years now. Think they first appeared in my first pregnancy (13 years ago) although I can't be certain! I think they are pretty normal generally. I don't have anything wrong with me anyway.

Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 19/04/2022 09:12

I think I'm only really concerned because they've sprung up out of nowhere. I've got a phone appointment later with my GP

OP posts:
Whatdoyawannado · 19/04/2022 21:36

Mine sprung up out of nowhere too. Hope the GP helped.

whatnumber · 19/04/2022 21:38

How did you get on at the gp's?
I've got loads of cherry spots - more seem to pop up everyday. They are all diff shapes and sizes.

EveSix · 19/04/2022 21:40

Eh!? I literally spotted these, seemingly out of nowhere, on my own arms last night. I put it down to physical exertion and a hot bath earlier in the evening. Do come back and relay what your GP said, please.

polkadotpixie · 19/04/2022 21:45

Did you take any aspirin or ibuprofen when you were ill? I get these when I take either

SpinningMeSoftly · 19/04/2022 21:48

I've got a few of these. Interested in what they are tbh.

Amybelle88 · 19/04/2022 21:57

Hey!

I've suffered with health anxiety massively and also worried over these spots, wrongly believing they were petechiae.

They're not - I've had petechiae twice in the past due to having vasculitis and also being overdosed on blood thinners - petechiae rashes are very, very different to these.

However, I've had cancer and panic a lot, so my extremely amazing cancer nurse had allowed to have blood tests when I've noticed these spots. All came back perfectly normal. That wasn't enough for me, so he also had a derm look at them - again, perfectly normal.

Some medications can cause them, for example citalopram or similar SSRI meds, aspirin, ibuprofen, codeine, morphine etc - there are quite a few that can do it.

Estrogen can also cause them, but also just getting a bit older. I'm not old I'm only 33, but they can just occur. My husband is 35 and he has them, too, quite a few of them!

It's so hard to settle when you have health anxiety but take it from someone who knows what it's like and has worried in the past over the same thing, these are genuinely nothing to worry about xx

EveSix · 19/04/2022 22:09

Thank you, Amy.

Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 20/04/2022 09:29

Thank you so much for this response @Amybelle88 My health anxiety is crazy after having my kids and sometimes I find it really hard to rationalise illnesses/symptoms.

I have taken ibuprofen this weekend as I had a bad sinus headache. I've taken ibuprofen many times in the past and never had anything like this. Managed to worry myself into a stress migrain last night which was awful.

The doctor had a look and said she didn't think it was anything to worry about. Maybe tiny insect bites or just something that naturally happened. She said if the change, get worse or I have unexplained bruising then obviously I'll need blood tests as it could be blood clotting issues but for now she said don't worry. So that's what I'm trying to do ( although Ive also booked an eye test for the weekend - unrelated - so I've got that to stress and worry about too!)

OP posts:
ineedacupoftea · 13/05/2022 11:40

I have these too, exactly the same. They are mostly on my arms. Sometimes I notice them less and sometimes (like today) I see more of them and my health anxiety starts to increase (hence looking for reassurance here!).
It’s good to hear these are probably more common than we think, and aren’t anything to worry about.
I keep telling myself that if they were a symptom of something more serious then there would be significant other signs of illness. They’ve probably always been there but I’ve only started noticing since my anxiety has appeared.

beeswaxbonnie · 13/05/2022 11:47

Could be cherry angiomas?

Vsirbdo · 13/05/2022 11:54

I had this when I was getting over a cold and I notice my DC often get skin rashes with colds. Doctor said it didn’t look anything to worry about and take piroton and they went after a couple of days

Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 17/05/2022 21:40

ineedacupoftea · 13/05/2022 11:40

I have these too, exactly the same. They are mostly on my arms. Sometimes I notice them less and sometimes (like today) I see more of them and my health anxiety starts to increase (hence looking for reassurance here!).
It’s good to hear these are probably more common than we think, and aren’t anything to worry about.
I keep telling myself that if they were a symptom of something more serious then there would be significant other signs of illness. They’ve probably always been there but I’ve only started noticing since my anxiety has appeared.

I did wonder if they'd been there a while and I just hadn't noticed as the weather had just gotten better so I was no longer wearing long sleeves. Either way, I haven't noticed any more but they haven't gone away either. I've no other symptoms at all so I'm guessing (and hoping) that they are nothing to worry about.

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 17/05/2022 21:50

beeswaxbonnie · 13/05/2022 11:47

Could be cherry angiomas?

Possibly. I do have a few cherry angiomas, maybe three or four, these ones are absolutely tiny though. You have to be looking for them to spot them.

OP posts:
Basilbrushgotfat · 17/05/2022 21:52

Ooh I have these, again mostly on my arms. They seem to come and go. Agree not petrichae but always forgot to find out what they are.

gamerchick · 17/05/2022 21:58

Keratosis pilaris?

Tbh I'm not sure I see anything alarming in those photos. Skin gets a bit stroppy on occasion. Stop googling.

bbqhulahoop · 17/05/2022 22:00

They honestly look a lot more like freckles than petechia. Mine are bright red and also nothing to worry about

TheGlitterati · 17/05/2022 22:04

Can also be a vitamin k deficiency.

i have the same OP. I went rushing off to the doctors, who tested my blood which was normal. 2 years later I am still here, so is the petechiae. Nothing was found, I’ve decided it just the way my skin looks.

CactusFlowers · 17/05/2022 22:07

I get these. I’ve had them since I was a teenager. I did mention them to the nurse once but she wasn’t concerned. I also have quite a few cherry angiomas but no idea if they are linked.

ineedacupoftea · 16/06/2022 12:20

I know I posted earlier about these, but they are proliferating it seems and I can’t help but worry, despite others saying they are normal.
Do others have a lot? I seem to have 100s on my upper arms in particular, but also lower arms.

Original poster
ThatsBullshirt · 16/06/2022 16:53

ineedacupoftea · 16/06/2022 12:20

I know I posted earlier about these, but they are proliferating it seems and I can’t help but worry, despite others saying they are normal.
Do others have a lot? I seem to have 100s on my upper arms in particular, but also lower arms.

I have way too many on my arms to count now but I dont think I actually have any more than I did the week I first posted. They haven't disappeared or changed in any way but there doesn't seem to be more of them either. Sometime I notice them but I have to really look to see just how many there are. I'm passed worrying about them now, to be honest. They are just like tiny red freckles. Seeing the doctor helped to put my mind at ease, maybe worth considering?

OP posts:
Amybelle88 · 16/06/2022 18:00

ineedacupoftea · 16/06/2022 12:20

I know I posted earlier about these, but they are proliferating it seems and I can’t help but worry, despite others saying they are normal.
Do others have a lot? I seem to have 100s on my upper arms in particular, but also lower arms.

This is what mine are like, please read my previous post and don't worry x

ineedacupoftea · 16/06/2022 21:35

Thank you both. That’s really helpful. I’m going to try hard not to think about them!

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