What Are Track Marks and What Do They Look Like?
Key Takeaways
- Track marks are signs of frequent IV drug use.
- Track marks appear as bruising and scabs, often on arms and legs.
- IV drug use can lead to infections, hepatitis, and HIV.
- Changes in appearance, lifestyle, and mental health may indicate drug use.
- Detox, inpatient, outpatient, MAT, and CBT are treatments for addiction.
What are Track Marks?
The appearance of track marks is one of the tell-tale signs of frequent intravenous (IV) drug use. Track marks initially look like deep bruising around the injection site, when the bruising subsides, they form scabs.
Track mark scabs can also resemble dark, round circles. These particular track marks are scar tissue from skin popping. This is a method in which the needle is injected under the skin instead of a vein.
Long-term users will have track marks on all areas of the body. Many users will have clusters of scabs on the arms, legs, and between the fingers and toes.
Can Track Marks Be Related to Heroin Addiction?
Heroin use is one of the most common reasons for track marks. People who use the drug intravenously typically have a substantial tolerance. As such, intravenous use is the only way to satisfy cravings.
This same mode of operation is used for prescription opioids such as OxyContin. Prescription opioids are frequently the cause of future heroin addiction.
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What are the Dangers of IV Drug Use?
Intravenous drug use leads to an intense high far more potent than other methods. However, IV drug users are at an increased risk for serious health problems.
Aside from being a clear sign of substance use disorder, track marks pose several notable health risks. The dangers of IV drug use include:
- Skin infections: Caused by repeated piercing, scar tissue, and needle sharing.
- Blood clots: Occur from repeated vein punctures and general heroin use.
- Hepatitis B: A severe liver condition that arises from sharing needles.
- Hepatitis C: A more severe version of Hepatitis B that arises from sharing needles.
- Scarring: Permanent scars due to repeated injections.
IV drug use can also lead to HIV or sepsis. Bacterial infections from sharing needles can lead to these diseases.
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What are the Signs of IV Drug Use?
Injection drug users sometimes use long sleeves, pants, and make-up to hide track marks from others. IV drug users also tend to have significant weight loss, sores, patchy hair, poor dental hygiene, and collapsed veins due to restricted blood flow.
Aside from the various changes to their appearance, people who shoot up drugs experience physical, mental, and lifestyle changes, including :
- Dirty or disheveled clothing
- dental abscesses
- Onset or triggering of mental illness
- Mood swings
- Chaotic or incoherent thoughts
- Suicidal thoughts and speech
- Diminished logic
- Poor sleep
- Inability to focus on non-drug-related concerns
- Owning drug paraphernalia
- Inability to keep appointments
- Declining bank account balances
- Inability to sustain a job
- Unpaid bills
- Homelessness
- Sudden disregard for interpersonal relationships
While there are other signs of shooting up, these are the most common. Snorting drugs and orally consuming drugs have their own symptoms. However, these symptoms often coincide with the aforementioned risks of intravenous use.
Treatment Options for Addiction
Treatment programs for prescription opioids, methamphetamine, and heroin are available for those who need them. Addiction treatment options include:
- Medical detox: Medically supervised detox used to avoid harmful withdrawal effects.
- Inpatient treatment: Takes place at treatment centers for rehabilitation clinics offering 24/7 care and counseling.
- Outpatient treatment: A similar treatment program to inpatient rehab without needing to stay at a treatment facility.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT): Involves using medication, counseling, and therapy to treat addiction.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A short-term therapy technique that explores the link between thought patterns and addiction.
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- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States.” SAMHSA, 2018.
- “Injection Drug Use and Wound Botulism.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024.
- Marks et al. “Infectious Complications of Injection Drug Use.” Med Clin North Am, 2022.
- Cornford et al. “Deep vein thromboses in users of opioid drugs: incidence, prevalence, and risk factors.” Br J Gen Pract, 2011.
- Wang SC. & Maher B. “Substance Use Disorder, Intravenous Injection, and HIV Infection: A Review.” Cell Transplant, 2019.
- Cornford C. & Close H. “The physical health of people who inject drugs: complexities, challenges, and continuity.” Br J Gen Pract, 2016.
