Broken blood vessels happen in most cases as a result of injury. When a blood vessel breaks, a trace amount of blood leaves the vessel and enters the body. These trace amounts of blood become visible just underneath the skin’s surface.
When blood vessels bleed into the skin, it may appear like there are small dots on the skin. These small dots are called petechiae. Or the bleeding underneath the skin may form a large flat patch called purpura. At times, people may mistake a birthmark for bleeding into the skin. One way to tell if a blood vessel has broken in an area is to push down on the skin. When you push down on your skin under normal conditions, it will become pale. When you let go, the skin will slowly return to its normal color. However, if there is bleeding underneath the skin, it will not turn pale when you push down on it.
A broken blood vessel is usually a minor occurrence. However, it could also be a sign that you are dealing with a serious medical condition. If you notice that you have a broken blood vessel that is bleeding into your skin and you have not sustained any injuries, you should discuss the situation with our physician.
Other circumstances that might lead to a broken blood vessel include blood infections, bruises, side effects from chemotherapy, radiation or medication, as well as autoimmune disorders and the normal aging process. When a person has strep throat, a bacterial infection, leukemia or meningitis, one of the symptoms could be broken blood vessels.
A broken blood vessel is usually identified via visual inspection. However, once you see our doctor, they’re going to ask you more questions about the bleeding. They will ask you about your medical history to see if there are any pre-existing conditions that might have caused your blood vessels to break. Some of the things they are going to want to know include when the bleeding started, if the area where the broken blood vessels appeared felt itchy and if there is a history of bleeding disorders in the family.
It is a good idea to let us know about any medicines and supplements you are taking because these might be related to your broken blood vessels. The more accurately you can answer the questions posed, the better we will be able to determine if the broken blood vessel is something to be concerned with.
Broken blood vessels may lead to unsightly marks on the skin. Thankfully, not all broken blood vessels are serious, but in some cases, broken blood vessels do merit a visit to MacMed Spa in Milford. We offer a variety of treatments that can help to minimize the appearance of broken blood vessels. Contact us today to schedule your appointment to learn more about how your broken blood vessels can be treated.