What are track marks? What do track marks look like? These are a visible sign of drug use. They can often indicate repeated intravenous drug injections.
Track marks are one of the most recognizable signs someone’s struggling with substance abuse in many cases. They can appear on different parts of the body, and understanding what they are and how they manifest can help with identifying and hopefully addressing drug-related issues.
What Are Track Marks?
Track marks refer to physical marks or scars on the skin from repeated intravenous (IV) drug injections. The marks are often on the arms but can also appear on other body parts with accessible veins.
The appearance of track marks is usually associated with long-term drug use.
These marks are caused by repeatedly inserting needles into the same or nearby areas of the skin. This can damage and scar the veins and surrounding tissues.
Factors contributing to these marks include:
- Needle use: Repeatedly puncturing veins with needs can damage the skin and veins, leading to bruising and scarring.
- Infection: Using non-sterile needles or having poor hygiene can lead to infections at injection sites.[1] Those infections can further damage the skin, leaving visible marks.
- Skin trauma: Over time, the skin surrounding injection sites can become inflamed, discolored or hardened because of repeated trauma.
What Do Track Marks Look Like?
Identifying track marks can involve looking for the following signs:
- Scars or puncture marks: Visible, small round scars or fresh puncture marks can be signs of track marks.
- Discoloration: The skin around an injection site can look reddish or darker than the surrounding skin.
- Bruising: Dark, bluish marks may appear around the injection site.
- Raised or hardened skin: Over time, the skin can harden and raise or have a leather texture. This is because of scarring from repeatedly inserting needles into the area.
- Visible vein damage: The veins may look damaged, collapsed, or have a texture beneath the skin like a rope.[2]
Which Substances Are Associated with Track Marks?
Track marks are associated with substances that are injected. These can include:
Heroin
Heroin is one of the most frequently injected drugs, so it’s associated with track marks. Users inject heroin directly into the veins to get a rapid and intense high, contributing to damage to the veins and surrounding tissue.
Methamphetamine (Meth)
Meth is sometimes injected to get an immediate, powerful effect. Frequent injections are required to keep up the high of meth, which can lead to significant damage to the veins and the formation of track marks.
Cocaine
Cocaine is more often snorted or smoked, but some users will inject it to achieve a more intense high. Injecting cocaine can severely irritate the veins.
Prescription Opioids
Prescription opioids can be crushed, dissolved and injected, which again is done to produce a more potent and rapid effect.
Fentanyl
A powerful, often deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl is frequently injected by people who misuse it. Because of how strong fentanyl is, users will usually inject small amounts frequently, and that practice increases the likelihood of developing track marks.
Buprenorphine
Used in the treatment of opioid addiction, sometimes people misuse buprenorphine by injecting it. It’s intended to be used sublingually, but injecting it can bypass the ceiling effect, allowing the user to achieve a faster effect.[3]
The Risks of Intravenous Drug Use
If you’re wondering what track marks look like, it could be because you’re concerned about someone using drugs intravenously. IV drug use can have significant health risks beyond track marks. These can be life-threatening.
Some of the risks of intravenous drug use include:[1,2,4]
- Infections: Bloodborne infections such as HIV and hepatitis can come from sharing needles or using non-sterile equipment. Bacterial infections like abscesses can develop at injection sites. There’s also an infection called endocarditis, which affects the heart valves and is caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream through injection sites.
- Vein damage: Repeated injections can damage and collapse veins, and phlebitis, which is inflammation of the veins, can occur.
- Overdose risk: IV drug use delivers the substances directly into the bloodstream. This raises the risk of accidental overdose, especially with strong substances like heroin and fentanyl.
- Systemic infection: Sepsis is a severe infection that spreads throughout the body. Sepsis can be life-threatening.
- Scar tissue formation: Chronic injections can lead to scar tissue or granulomas forming, which can block blood flow and cause further complications.
- Blood clots: Repeatedly injecting in the same area can cause blood clots to form. These can travel to the lungs and, once there, cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal.
Other Signs of Intravenous Drug Use
Along with track marks, other signs of intravenous drug use include:
- Frequent bruising on the arms, hands, legs or feet.
- Fresh needle marks.
- Secrecy or isolation.
- The presence of paraphernalia like syringes, needles, tourniquets or cotton balls.
- Sudden or unexplained weight loss.
- Foul odors from untreated infections.
- Rapid mood swings and cognitive impairment.
- Neglected personal hygiene.
If you think you see track marks on someone, it’s important to approach the situation with care, compassion, and sensitivity.
Rather than confronting someone in a judgmental or accusatory way, approach them with concern about their well-being. Tell them you’ve noticed marks on their arms and you’re worried. Listen without judgment if they are willing to talk, and let them know you’re there to help them face their challenges.
If the individual seems receptive, gently suggest exploring treatment potions.
If you need help approaching someone about track marks or other signs of drug use, our team at The Best Treatment can help. Reach out at any time to learn more about our programs and levels of care.
References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Infectious Diseases in Persons Who Inject Drugs
- National Institute of Health (NIH): Impact of injection drug use on distribution and severity of chronic venous disorders
- Online Wiley Library: Injecting buprenorphine-naloxone film: Findings from an explorative qualitative study
- NIH: The physical health of people who inject drugs: complexities, challenges, and continuity
