Red spots on the skin require medical attention and care

We must always be aware of the signals that our body gives about our health. After all, you can’t play with her!

Although it is not always a sign of something serious, the appearance of red spots on the skin should be investigated immediately, as it can also be one of the symptoms of a more serious disease.

Red spots and cancer

Certainly, cancer is one of the diseases that causes most concern in people in general. When we see some red spots, it is acceptable that we soon think that this is really a sign of skin cancer.

And this is really a possibility. “Red patches on the skin that are not itchy, that is, that are not itchy, can be signs of a more serious health problem such as cancer, especially if they increase in size and bleed,” explains Juliane Musacchio, MD, Hematology Manager from COI (Integrated Oncology Clinics) and Researcher at the COI Institute.

Skin cancer usually appears in areas more exposed to the sun, and is more common in people with light skin and eyes, as explained by the hematologist.

Among the skin cancers, the most serious is melanoma, which, depending on the stage (localized or disseminated), can vary the treatment and prognosis. “In localized cases, the patient can be cured only with local surgery and in more advanced cases, they may need treatment with immunochemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a worse prognosis”, he adds.

Red spots and other health problems

According to the doctor, red spots on the skin can indicate blood-related problems, such as primary immune thrombocytopenia (PTI) – a disease that destroys blood platelets, but which is treated with immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids and has a favorable course. “Therefore, when a person arrives at the hospital complaining of red spots on the skin, without any other apparent symptoms, the doctor already imagines something like that and asks for some tests, including a complete blood count to verify the problem”, she explains.

“The most common cause of red spots is an exacerbation of pre-existing inflammatory dermatosis, most often psoriasis (an autoimmune disease that affects the extensor region of the limbs and scalp) or atopic (allergic) dermatitis,” adds Juliane Musacchio.

The professional explains that, in patients with psoriasis, the presence of red spots on the skin occurs due to discontinuation of systemic corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agents.

“Other causes of such lesions are sunburn, use of medications such as lithium and antimalarials, and infections such as cellulitis and erysipelas – an infectious process caused by bacteria that also affect the subcutaneous tissue”, he says.

Hematologist Juliane highlights that hypersensitivity to certain medications is the second most common cause of red spots on the skin. “Among these drugs are penicillin, sulfa drugs, anticonvulsants and allopurinol,” she says.

“However, there are other, rarer causes for the appearance of red spots on the skin, which include cutaneous non-Hodgkin T lymphoma and other hematological and systemic neoplasms, autoimmune diseases and infections”, highlights Juliane Musacchio.

The hematologist also explains that red spots on the skin can be a sign of other types of cancer (in addition to skin), but these are extremely rare cases. “In these situations, the diagnosis is made by local biopsy, and immunohistochemistry is required, with specific markers for each type of cancer, in addition to the evaluation of an experienced pathologist”, she adds.

Red spots can appear on which parts of the body?

According to hematologist Juliane, red spots can affect any part of the body and can even become generalized, depending on the cause.

“In general, they do not cause pain, but in case of allergy, they can cause pruritus (itching)”, adds the professional.

How to seek help?

A common question that arises among people who have an unknown symptom is: which professional to turn to? This can even happen to someone who notices that they have some red spots on their skin.

Juliane Musacchio highlights that, depending on the symptoms (pain, itching, bleeding), the best solution is to go straight to the hospital or look for a dermatologist you trust.

With this information, it reinforces the need to be always attentive to the signals that our body gives and to seek medical help as soon as we notice something different.