Petechiae are tiny pinpoint reddish spots on the skin and is due to tiny bleeding spots in the skin. They are non blanchable, meaning that they still persistent when pressure is applied over the spots and are less than 2mm in size. Petechiae is not a diagnosis as there is usually an underlying cause for the petechiae. There are many causes of petechiae. These include: Trauma Infections eg. viral and bacterial infections Haematological problems eg. low platelets (thrombocytopaenia), leukaemia Autoimmune diseases eg.

To simplify medical terms, chronic venous insufficiency refers to a wide spectrum of longstanding problems with the veins (often confused with the arteries which are vessels that bring blood to the legs from the heart). The insufficiency refers to a state of reflux whereby blood is stagnant within the vein as it fails to flow back up the legs towards the heart. This most commonly occurs in the lower limbs due to effect of gravity.