Bright red bruises on arms.

Are you taking aspirin or anticoagulants or other medication that might cause this?

Are they actually bruises?
Do they go purple/yellow ?

I get bright red marks on my arms as well, which gradually fade. I don't think they are bruises, as I also get the normal colour bruises. My skin is very thin and dry due to age and sun damage and I think the red marks are part of the same process.

They are Senile Purpura, caused by thinning skin in old age.

Think they are called Senile Purpura or something like that.

Crossed posts Elowen. Must be right.

I get lots of these, often on the back of my hands. I have a purple one right now. They used to worry me but I've had so many now that I've stopped worrying.

PS. meant to say, sometimes they are bright red, sometimes purple. Presumably the difference is when they are from a vein or an artery.

Arteries don't bleed under the skin. Arterial bleeding is serious and life-threatening. I think purpura is the right word here and not much to be done.
I used to bruise ridiculously easily but now it's not so bad and I don't know why? Maybe Vit D?

They’re very common in older people as our skin becomes thinner. It’s important to use body lotion or cream on your arms every day to keep the skin well hydrated as well as making sure that you drink enough water

My skin is now so thin that I shaved my legs for the first time in ages the other day and took a layer of skin off! Thank goodness I just missed a vein in my leg. I’ve started using Hydromol in an attempt to keep my skin moisturised. I’ve always bruised easily but that’s now on another level. I might try taking arnica in tablet form as well as using the cream. Old age comes with so many unexpected problems and I’m trying to keep on top of these new skin problems. I’ve always kept out of the sun, too, so wasn’t expecting this to happen.

It is all quite interesting though. Even if it is a pain in the arse. What I find is that old age is blimmin’ high maintenance, with all the lotions and potions etc.

Two days ago I bought a very heavy bag of shopping (think 15lb or so, I hadn’t given it any thought) and had to carry it back to the car up a hill as a result of not thinking things through. Yesterday I was completely wiped out, and although much better still recovering today.

Lesson learned!

Any unexplained bruising needs to be seen by a professional.

I could open a chemist shop with all the different lotions and potions that I keep buying. If I go away from home I have to take everything with me as you can guarantee the very thing I don't take is the thing I need eg last time I went away my hands erupted with exzema [sp].

Sarnia

Any unexplained bruising needs to be seen by a professional.

Don't think this does.

Aging definitely isn’t for wimps

DH gets them even if he just knocks himself slightly; he's on blood thinners.

GrannyGravy13

Aging definitely isn’t for wimps

It doesn't come on it's own!

Most certainly to be medication causing this ……I am on blood pressure thinners and I get these red bruises regularly

Interesting. I’ve just looked it up, and it occurs almost exclusively in Europeans - because our skin gets so easily sun damaged.

Another reason to use maximum factor.

Whitewavemark2

Interesting. I’ve just looked it up, and it occurs almost exclusively in Europeans - because our skin gets so easily sun damaged.

Another reason to use maximum factor.

But how do you know which ones are safe?

Thank you so much for your response to my post. I’m not on blood thinners and take vitamin D regularly. From now on I’ll be using sun cream on my arms as I’m fed up of people commenting on my Celtic skin.

That's interesting, keepingquiet. I didn't know that. So this purple bruise on my hand at the moment is purpura then.
Harmless I imagine.
Thanks.
PS. I'm on blood thinners. Perhaps that's why I get so many of these.

My DH started getting this when he was on steroids. Apparently steroids can cause it. However, he has been off steroids for a while now and he is still getting it.