Unusual Migraine Presentation: 10-Year-Old Girl Experiences Recurrent Bleeding from Eyebrow

A 10-year-old girl experienced a highly unusual symptom during severe migraine attacks: bleeding from a single, consistent spot on her eyebrow. Additionally, temporary red spots would appear on her forehead during these episodes, fading away shortly after the headaches subsided.

Neurological examinations and brain imaging scans failed to reveal any underlying abnormalities. This unusual case, documented by pediatric neurologists at Iran University of Medical Sciences and Ali-Asghar Children’s Hospital in Tehran, was published in the December 2024 issue of Annals of Medicine & Surgery.

While migraines are relatively common in children, bleeding skin is not a recognized symptom. Clinicians wrote up this case to alert other healthcare providers to this potential presentation.

Bleeding That Followed the Migraine Clock

The patient had no significant prior medical, surgical, or medication history when she presented to a neurology clinic with a one-year history of severe, recurring headaches. According to the clinical report, the pain typically began in her temple, spread, was pulsating, and usually affected only one side of her head, without a visual aura. Initially, the attacks occurred approximately every 10 days, lasting between 24 and 48 hours. Over time, the frequency increased until the headaches became a daily occurrence.

During these episodes, the skin of her eyebrow bled from a single spot, which the authors documented with photographs. Red spots also appeared on her forehead and disappeared shortly after the headache resolved.

The synchronization of these symptoms with the headaches is the central clue. Because the skin changes rose and fell with the migraines, the authors treated them as an integral part of the migraine attack rather than a separate dermatological issue. Her neurological exams remained normal, and brain imaging showed no abnormalities.

The report does not definitively establish why the skin bled. The authors suggested that neurovascular and neuroinflammatory processes—the blood vessel and inflammatory changes thought to drive migraines—may be involved. However, this explanation remains a hypothesis, not a proven mechanism.

Doctors Have Seen Migraine Marks on the Forehead Before

The girl’s case is highly unusual, but it is not the first to link migraine attacks with visible changes on the face. Neurologists have previously described “red forehead dot syndrome,” in which small red spots appear on the forehead during attacks. A 2016 report in Neurology revisited this phenomenon, and a 2018 case in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine described migraine with extensive skin markings. What sets the new report apart is actual bleeding from the eyebrow skin, representing a step beyond simple red marks.

A separate rare condition also involves blood appearing on intact skin. Hematohidrosis, sometimes called sweating blood, is marked by blood oozing from unbroken skin or mucous membranes without a bleeding disorder. Pediatric and psychiatry specialists in Tirupati, India, noted in a 2024 case report that most cases occur in people 18 or younger and that episodes are frequently linked to psychological stress.

Hematologists in Kolkata, India, writing in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics in April 2026, described a 10-year-old girl who bled from her eyes, nose, and mouth during a stressful exam period and improved with medication, relaxation techniques, and family counseling. The eyebrow report, by contrast, frames the bleeding as a migraine feature and does not diagnose the girl with hematohidrosis.

A Supplement-Based Plan and Notable Improvement

Her doctors initiated preventive treatment with coenzyme Q10, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and cyproheptadine, an antihistamine sometimes used to prevent migraines in children. According to the report, both the frequency of her headaches and the intensity of her symptoms improved significantly.

While this result is encouraging, it is based on a single patient. It cannot show which of the three treatments was effective, whether the improvement would have occurred naturally, or if other children would respond similarly.

The broader evidence for these supplements is mixed, particularly in pediatric populations. A review published in 2025 in Current Pain and Headache Reports concluded that riboflavin can be recommended for adults, but its use in children is not proven. The same review rated coenzyme Q10’s evidence for migraine prevention at Level C, representing a modest level of support with few side effects. Additionally, the review noted that the FDA does not regulate nutraceuticals in the same manner as pharmaceutical drugs.

What the Case Means for Families

A single case report cannot establish that migraines cause skin bleeding in other children. The authors framed the case as a call for heightened awareness among clinicians who evaluate pediatric headache patients, encouraging them to widen the range of symptoms they consider.

This case also highlights the importance of a thorough medical workup. Bleeding from the skin can stem from various causes, including clotting disorders, blood vessel inflammation, skin conditions, or physical injury. In this patient, a migraine-related explanation was only reached after all other potential causes were ruled out through normal exams and imaging.

Parents who notice bleeding, bruising, or unusual skin marks during a child’s headaches should seek professional evaluation by a pediatrician or pediatric neurologist rather than assuming a cause. Headaches accompanied by weakness, confusion, vision changes, a stiff neck, fever, or a sudden, severe onset require urgent medical attention.

Families should also consult with a clinician before starting supplements or preventive medications for a child, as dosing, safety, and efficacy evidence can differ significantly between children and adults.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to the girl?

During migraine attacks, the girl experienced bleeding from a consistent spot on her eyebrow, accompanied by temporary red spots on her forehead that faded after the headache ended.

Did doctors find anything wrong in her brain?

No. Her neurological exams were normal, and brain imaging showed no abnormalities.

Why would a migraine make skin bleed?

The authors suggested that blood vessel and inflammatory changes linked to migraine may be involved, but the exact mechanism has not been proven.

Is this the same as sweating blood?

Not necessarily. Hematohidrosis is a separate rare condition involving blood oozing from intact skin, whereas this case report describes the bleeding as a specific feature of the migraine attacks.

What treatment helped her?

Preventive treatment with coenzyme Q10, vitamin B2, and cyproheptadine was followed by significant improvement, though a single case cannot confirm which specific treatment was responsible.

Should parents worry if a child with migraines has skin marks?

Skin marks or bleeding during a child’s headaches warrant a medical evaluation to rule out other underlying causes, such as bleeding disorders, rather than immediate alarm.

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