Thinning skin.

Would a collagen supplement help?

A friend has very thin skin and because they have a low immune system was often getting an infection as a result. Like Nanandgrampy they tried honey, a local one, on the cuts/grazes and has found this to be amazing at speeding up healing. Strange but true.

lily bet. That’s another one which I’ll try. Thanks for the tip. Nearest Asda is a bit of a trip so it will have to wait a while.

Loopyloo. It’s certainly worth a question to my GP - nobody has ever suggested it but I have a major problem wifh a full body itchy skin for which I have UVb light treatment twice a week. It sort of just keeps a lid on the itch but I have a helluva tan! At times I have wondered if the light treatment was worsening the thin skin problem.

Might vit d help ?

You can get packets of dressings from Asda. They are very gentle. Almost the same as mepilex border. Think you get 4 for 1.99 or less. I was getting them last year for my husbands lower leg wound. He has very fragile skin. These dressing come in two sizes. Worth a try.

That sounds better, I'll have to go down to Boots and have a look.

Fennel. Special offer at present at Boots. £3.79 for a pack of 8 - two sizes, 400mmx400mm and 700x300. No sizing shown on the pack but my measurements are pretty close.

Thanks for telling me - were they very expensive?
I tried to get some more of those that I use, Mepilex border EM, 4 by 4 cm, and they wanted nearly £20 for a packet of 10.
As I said earlier, you can leave them on for a few days.
Hoping they work for you.
When you remove them go slowly, should be fine.

Fennel. I have just bought some Elastoplast Silicone Soft which advertise themselves as having 100% pain-free removal and as being suitable for fragile skin. We shall see!
It will be great if they don’t finish up making the wound two or three times as bad as the original by tearing off the skin as the plaster is removed!

Fennel. Many thanks. I have just had a look at the website which you recommended and the fast healing plasters certainly sound promising. I’ll try and get some tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted as I can almost guarantee that I will have somewhere on my arms to try them in the next couple of days.

allygran, I had exactly the same side effects as you when taking statins. I can't say my memory is as it was 30 years ago but it certainly feels much sharper than it did 3 months ago since I stopped taking the things.

Liz46 - my door handles are fairly well behaved. It's the raised beds surrounded by railway sleepers that are attacking me. sit down and do a bit of weeding, they call out. I dutifully sit on the sleeper and it throws me off. Yesterday I fell backwards, landing on a garden ornament. serves me right for having kitch in the garden.

old but chirpy try something like this:
int.elastoplast.net/advisor/health-and-protection/moist-wound-healing
Not sure of the cost, but some brands are very expensive. So maybe yoou can get your GP to prescribe them.
I've been using similar for years. Can't remember the name now.

I loved your quip that the skin must be older than you - I reckon mine is the same!
I was searching for some help onthinskin/bruising/bleeding and found the gransnet forum. It’s good to know that I am not alone but where I really could do with some advice is on the topic of plasters when bleeding occurs generally or from one of the many bruises after it has been knocked again. I am still searching for a plaster which will not remove adjoining peel off skin when the plaster has managed to stem the bleeding which is no doubt worsened by my taking warfarin. Any advice anyone?

I am currently displaying two of these horrible purple brusies, one on each lower arm. I spoke to out practice nurse about them and she said it is just an age thing and to be really careful when doing housework, gardening etc.

My husband (aged 76) suffers with tissue-thin skin, mostly on his hands, arms and shins. He is permanently covered in dark red patches and sticking plasters! He does a lot of gardening and woodwork and only has to look at a sharp edge or rough surface to break out in yet another 'wound'. I am seriously thinking of getting him a pair of chefs chainmail gloves! He did once take statins but has been off them for 5 years now due to the painful side effects. The GP has said it is just another condition of 'old age'.

Has anyone else had this side effects of statins. When I was taking statins my finger tip and upper inside fingers, bruised, well it looks like purple bruising and it burned then went blue blood vessel type bruising. It went within a few hours. I also suffered nose bleeds. All stopped when I came off statins.

The other thing of course is thinning skin, and hair. Whilst on the statins my nails needed a lot of attention, they split and broke so easily, but it's difficult to know if it was the statins or just age. I have also been told thinning skin, hair and nails can be something to do with the thyroid, although mine was OK when tested.

The most scary thing is that the statins I took was Pravastatin and it cause short term memory loss and what I call fuzzy head, which is really concentration problems. I came off the statins and have a large bowl of porridge every morning and a small bowl before I go to bed instead. Every thing went back to normal within about four weeks, and my blood sugar stabilised as well. The cholesterol went below 5 and has stayed there. Did this about ten years ago. Still take the porridge.

I am not suggesting anyone on statins should stop taking them. But it might be something to consider. Obviously check with your GP first though.

I bruise very easily now - the slightest knock (or sometimes not even noticed that) and a bruise comes out. I blame the blood thinners. My FIL suffered terribly with it and his arms were often black and blue. Seems to be an age thing I suppose.

No , not much sunbathing and always use sun cream. The only steroids are in an inhaler that I need to use. I read an article that inhaled steroids could cause thinning skin but my doctor says not.
I think my skin is older than me! That’s the only answer.?

I know that this won’t help you but I am interested to know if you have either done a lot of sunbathing or used steroid creams on your skin.

Trouble is stella1949 that my skin tears through my clothes! Saturdays leg tear was through my trousers. I was interested in some Kevlar sleeves and socks that I saw advertised. They are expensive and probably a bit warm to wear all the time.
I do try to be careful but sometimes I’m sure that things jump out and get me!?

There really isn't anything that will stop this. Thinning skin really is part of getting older and there is no magic cure for it. Moisturising it every night helps to keep it in good condition, but that's about it.

I'd recommend doing a "walk around" in the house and garden and taking note of anything which is likely to catch at your skin and tear it. Then either remove the offending thing, or make a decision to wear protective clothing - even in summer, a long-sleeved blouse can help to stop the skin tears which plague you. Good luck !

Panache I completely understand when the body has been through the mill, it can have dire affect on the skin


The skin on my Mil legs is in dreadful state
Due to refusing to go bed, she sleeps in the chair (dementia)

I used to have this problem with calf of one leg. I didn’t find anything to help stop it but I used Manuka honey on surgical pads held in place by crepe bandage . It healed the weeping tears about 75% quicker than anything else I tried .

I second Double Base gel.
For the last 18 months I have been applying Zero cream on my arms legs and back of hands.
It has made a consideraable difference to my skin.
It holds in moisture so no more dry flakey skin.
Imho dry skin is more susceptible to damage when it is knocked or scrapped.