Tiny red dots on arms: In the last couple of months... - MY SKIN

MY SKIN

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Tiny red dots on arms

slynnmg profile image
26 Replies

In the last couple of months, I've noticed these tiny red dots on my upper arms. They could have always been there, I don't know. I've only noticed them recently. Some seem to disappear for a second when I scratch at them, then bleed or fill up with blood, if that makes sense.

I've been so paranoid about them because I Googled it. Bad idea. 😓 Just wondering if anyone knows what they could be or if you have something similar? I'm waiting to get blood work done for peace of mind, but in the meantime I wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on what they are. Thank you!

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slynnmg profile image
slynnmg
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26 Replies
lovesradio profile image
lovesradio

Mmm, sorry not to be of help, do they show up anywhere else and are they itchy, or just there? think you might need consultation after bloods are done.

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply tolovesradio

Thank you for replying! They're mainly on my arms. I have one or two bigger ones on my leg that I've had for at least a few years, probably longer. They're not itchy and they don't hurt or anything. They just exist.

My boyfriend has similar red dots too.

lovesradio profile image
lovesradio in reply toslynnmg

Wondering if you could both be mildly irritated by a laundry product or something like that? My skin is pretty awful and I can't use Bio washing powders, and even some non-bio (Persil) made my skin react. I used Fairy Non-Bio for a while and have now switched to Ecover Non-Bio, which seems to be ok.

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toslynnmg

Hi, my gf and I are actually in a similar situation. Did you get any answers on what this could be?

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

No answers, but I got blood work done and everything was fine there. I've noticed some people in my family have similar dots so I'm wondering if it's hereditary?

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toslynnmg

Same for me, all blood tests came back normal. Do you still get more? I feel like I'm seeing a few new ones every day.

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

I've stopped checking because checking just made me worry more. Haha. I'm guessing they're age-related or something because I know so many people with them. 🤷‍♀️

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toslynnmg

I will just be honest here: before I met my current gf, I had an unprotected one night stand, and feel like I started noticing them 2 weeks after. All STD test returned negative, but somehow I can't put my mind at ease thinking this has nothing to do with an STD. WDYT?

Both urine tests for chlamydia, gonorroe, trach, and mycoplasma, and blood test: HIV, Syphillis, Hep B and C.

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

If the tests came back negative, I doubt it has anything to do with an STI. Maybe you were just hyper-vigilant after the one night stand? They could have been there before it. I'm thinking mine have been on my body longer than I initially thought. I was in an extremely anxious state when I noticed them.

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toslynnmg

Same here about the anxious state, and I still am. To the point that I have gone down the Google rabbit hole and can only think of rare conditions such as HHV-8. Did you experience any other symptoms that came with the spots/anxiety?

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

I've only experienced anxiety symptoms, like numbness and tingling, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest tightness, tension headaches, etc.

Google is the worst. It's so hard to break out of the reassurance cycle, but I have a very, very strong feeling that you are okay and you do not have any rare conditions!! Especially since so many people have these red dots. People in my family have them. My boyfriend has them. You have them. Your girlfriend has them. They are common. ☺️

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toslynnmg

Thanks, just talking about this already calms me down a bit. I'm just so scared that I passed something onto my girlfriend... anyway. How many you got? I think I got about 25 very tiny ones on each arm, and then about 10 on my chest/belly. They are literally same size or smaller than a sand grain. Is that normal?

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

Good! I highly doubt you passed anything onto your girlfriend since your test results were clear. ☺️

I probably have about the same as you. I have fewer on my chest, though. Less than 5, I'd say.

Mine are the same size as yours, and some are a little bigger and raised. Honestly, don't worry about them. I mean, try your very best not to. Your blood test results were good! Your STI results showed no signs of an STI. You and your girlfriend are fine.

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson

I have them! I've had them for 4 months. My bloods are ok but I get more and more each day. They fill up too when I rub them. All I've found in researching is possible mold reaction or reaction to medication but I'm not taking any. I'm gonna ask to be referred to a dermatologist

Blood spots
slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply toBeckywatson

A mold reaction could make sense because we have a bad mold problem in our apartment. No matter how much I clean it, it always reappears. The joys of living in Ireland. 😅 I have them mainly on my arms and a few on my chest. I'm not taking any meds either. Part of me thinks they could be little cherry angiomas. I'm 31, going on 32, and I've read cherry angiomas are common with aging, and they can range in size. Let me know what your dermatologist says if you can! ☺️

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson in reply toslynnmg

I think Cherry's are unlikely as they're usually bright pink/ red and don't bleed however mine do! And when they kinda heal over it forms a tiny brown scab which washes off in the shower and bam back to bleeding lol. I have mould behind the toilet which I can't reach but my landlord keeps saying he will sort it :') my boyfriend doesn't have any! Neither do my kids. Its weird. I'm 27, my skin is usually very pale and very clear.

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson in reply toBeckywatson

Mine are all the same size too..very tiny

slynnmg profile image
slynnmg in reply toBeckywatson

Landlords are useless, I swear! 🤣 I texted mine a week ago and he still hasn't responded, hahaha. Yah, if I scratch my dots, they bleed, but they only bleed when I scratch them. Anyway, I don't know what these things are but they are giving me so much anxiety, haha. Some of mine are super tiny while others are a little bigger. It seems like a lot of people have them, though? My mum and my aunt have them too.

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson

I mainly have them tops of my arms but also forearms back neck and chest

tinyredspotsonarms24 profile image
tinyredspotsonarms24 in reply toBeckywatson

Hi Becky, I have exactly the same thing as you, and more seem to appear every day. Hard to spot actually, they scratch off super easy but then fill back up right away. Did you get any answers from what this could be?

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson in reply totinyredspotsonarms24

Honestly no. The Dr just brushes me off. I have researched extensively and the only thing I think have any relation to them is probably hormonal like an imbalance. I have PCOS, during my last pregnancy I had bad heart palpitations and a bounding pulse with fast heart rate. I had an echo heart scan and had a full medical done and all came back fine. Moments after I gave birth the heart monitor read 70 beats per minute which was insane considering for the previous 9 months it was never lower than 100. Sometimes even 120. My fast heart rate was how I knew I was pregnant before I even took the test. I blame hormones for that too.

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson in reply toBeckywatson

PS the dots showed up not long after I gave birth. That was February

Beckywatson profile image
Beckywatson in reply toBeckywatson

I still have them

Red dots
Leba profile image
Leba

I also have the same, they came up about 2 months ago and I have started to get more and more. About 6 months ago I came off birth control and I read that hormones could cause this. I spoke to my GP and they said skin rashes and spots can occur after a recent viral infection; more importantly if you have no headache, neck stiffness, high fever above 38C then meningitis is not likely.

Andeed profile image
Andeed

I have the same thing. On my upper arms I have also started noticing them on my legs, I don't know what they are but i have medical anxiety so I asked my mom if she ever saw anything like that and she informed me that she has them all over her stomach. I only take one medication and that's zoloft for panic attacks...I have read a few cases of these spots on other people that take zoloft....I hope we find answers one day

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