Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Petechiae (puh-TEE-kee-ee) are pinpoint, round spots that form on the skin. They're caused by bleeding, which makes the spots look red, brown or purple. The spots often form in groups and may look like a rash. The spots are often flat to the touch and don't lose color when you press on them. Sometimes they appear on the inner surfaces of the mouth or the eyelids.

Petechiae are common and can be caused by many different conditions. Some may be very serious.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

May 26, 2023

See also

  1. Infographic: Blood Cancer Awareness
  2. Endocarditis
  3. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
  4. Leukemia
  5. Myelodysplastic syndromes
  6. Thrombocytopenia