Why Do People Bruise Easier Than Others

As a person ages, they tend to bruise more easily. People tend to bruise more easily as they age because blood vessels become weaker and the skin thins. Easy bruising may also run in families, so people whose relatives bruise easily may notice that they do as well.

Easy bruising can sometimes be a symptom of a disease or health issue. For instance, sepsis (a bacterial infection), chronic inflammatory disease, liver disease and certain types of cancer can all cause you to bruise easily.

"That is why elderly tend to have frail skin," continues Dr. Besser. "Since there is less cushion, the superficial blood vessels are closer to the surface of the skin (and are also more fragile), so they break more easily. "That is what causes the bruising: leakage of blood into the skin and tissues beneath the skin."

There are actually some factors that can cause you to bruise more easily: Age. Older adults bruise more easily due to thinning of the skin and less cushioning from fat. Sex. Women tend to bruise easier than men. Family history. If other people in your family bruise more easily, you may, too.

People tend to bruise more easily as they age because blood vessels become weaker and the skin thins. Easy bruising may also run in families, so people whose relatives bruise easily may notice that…

"It’s not a reflection of your health. The same person can scar differently in different body locations. Chests tend to heal poorly. The cartilage high up on the ear may scar worse than the fleshy ear lobe. Also people with darker complexions tend to scar worse than people with fair skin.

Also, your blood vessels get more fragile. Both of these things mean you get more bruises. If you take aspirin or a blood thinner, don’t be surprised by the occasional black-and-blue mark. Some supplements, like fish oil and ginkgo, can do it too. Steroids like prednisone can also cause easy bruising, because they thin the skin.

Easy bruising is common with age. Although most bruises are harmless and go away without treatment, easy bruising can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem. Most bruises form when small blood vessels (capillaries) near the skin’s surface are broken by the impact of a blow or injury — often on the arms or legs.

You may begin to bruise easily if you aren’t getting enough iron. That’s because your body needs iron to keep your blood cells healthy. If your blood cells aren’t healthy, your body won’t be able to get the oxygen that it needs to function. This may make your skin more susceptible to bruising. Other symptoms of iron deficiency include:

Unexplained bruising can be the result of numerous causes from aging and vitamin deficiencies to diabetes . Random bruising could be a sign of a health issue that should be checked out. Bruising for no reason can be explained and treated. But first, we need to look at the different types of bruises and what causes them.

Contributing Factors Age. The most common reasons for easy bruising aren’t a major cause for alarm. … Sun Damage. Speaking of which, people with chronic sun damage continually bruise their arms, Kasteler says. … Body Fat. … Blood-Thinners. … Exercise Level. … Alcohol Consumption. … Don’t Be Trippin’-What You Can Do. … Cool down, then heat up. … Pop over-the-counter pain relievers. … Go green. … More items…

As you age, your skin gets thinner and loses the protective layer of fat that acts as a cushion when you bump into something. Also, your blood vessels get more fragile. Both of these things mean you get more bruises.

A person should seek medical attention any time they have the following symptoms or issues associated with bruising: a suspected broken bone. loss of function of a joint, limb or muscle. increasing pain. an area is affected by a bruise that returns. there is no identifiable cause of the bruising.

Bruises without injuries can be caused by thinning of the skin which could be caused by a number of factors. Some medication when taken for too long could lead to bruising without injuries. Aspirin is one such drug. It leads to coagulation changes which then lead to spontaneous hematoma.

The liver makes proteins that the blood needs for clotting, so if it’s not doing its job, you may bleed or bruise more easily. It could be a sign that you’ve got a condition called cirrhosis. It’s a serious illness, so see your doctor.

The treatment for a bruise is most effective right after the injury, while the bruise is still reddish. A cold compress such as an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables should be applied to the affected area for 20-30 minutes in order to speed healing and reduce swelling. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.