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Purpura
Alternate Names : Blood Spots, Skin Hemorrhages
Definition Purplish discolorations in the skin produced by small bleeding vessels near the surface of the skin. Purpura may also occur in the mucous membranes (such as the lining of the mouth) and in the internal organs.
Pictures & Images
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Overview & Considerations
Purpura by itself is only a sign of other underlying causes of bleeding.
When purpura spots are very small, they are called petechiae. Large purpura are called ecchymoses.
Purpura may occur with either normal platelet counts (nonthrombocytopenic purpuras) or decreased platelet counts (thrombocytopenic purpuras). Platelets help maintain the integrity of the capillary lining and are important in the clotting process.
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Jump to another section
• Definition
• Purpura: Overview & Considerations
• Purpura: Common Causes
• Call your Health Care Provider if
• What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Congenital Cytomegalovirus
• Hemangioma
• Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
• Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
• Meningococcemia
• Rubella
• Thrombocytopenia
Tests & Exams
• Platelet Count
Other Topics
• Bleeding Into the Skin
Review Date : 8/15/2003
Reviewed By : Michael Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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