Bruises

I also bruise easily craftycat but then I always have. Mr C has developed this type of bruising, GP said age related. As it’s new I think it wouldn’t hurt to check it out, perhaps with a nurse at the surgery? It would put your mind at rest at least.

I get this too, i try to avoid catching my lower arms as they look so unsightly.I mentioned it to a nurse once who said that some people as they age have thinning skin and this is the reason why we get these horrible purple bruises.

Oh joy! Something else to go with wrinkles & fading hair colour. I thought it would at least hold off until I got to about 70!
Many thanks both.

Certainly dh gets really nasty bruising without registering he has knocked himself. HD them checked out and was told they are normal for his age (71) but might be worth getting yours looked at by a doctor, or do as we did and take a photo so you have an example to show him/her if you were bruise free at the time you see them, they seem to go as quickly as they appear.

There was a recent thread about this:
www.gransnet.com/forums/health/1253359-Senile-Purpura
I have the same problem. Thinning skin.

The answer is; yes we do bruise more easily as we get older. Partly it is because, regardless of weight our skin gets much thinner and, if you are thin, and many very elderly people are, there is no padding of fat between the thinning skin and the structure underneath.

My 90 year old aunt fell out of bed one night when she had an ITA. It was a low divan and she was tangled up with bed clothes, so more of a roll than a fall, yet one arm was quite literally black with huge bruises from wrist to shoulder. They took months to disappear.

My hands bruise now if I clap too much. I would quite like to do 'jazz hands' instead!

Thanks for that link, Fennel.
I have been taking paracetamol & Ibroprofen this week.
At least it is chilly enough for long sleeves today so I can hide my arm

Yes! DH often has purple hands and arms & as others have said ..he never rally knows what he has done. He never worries as his dad was just the same .

I get it too and checked it with doctor who said the same, it's an age thing.
However, a few months ago I started to mix powdered collegen into hot drinks or soup and have noticed that I'm bruising a lot less. It may just be coincidence of course but I'm pretty sure I'm still knocking my hands and wrists just as much as before but hardly any bruising. I only started to take the collegen powder to improve joints, gums, hair and nails so this has been an added bonus.
If anyone wants to try it I only buy collegen from grass fed organic cattle and my chosen brands are either Swedish or German brands. You can also try marine collegen but I didn't want to risk a fishy taste.

I also got bruised hands from clapping enthusiastically at a concert! I've always got bruises on my legs and half the time have no idea what I did.

Yes, unfortunately most bruises at "our age" are age related, they are unsightly, but long sleeves are a blessing at this time of year.If taking medicines with Aspirin in, this can make things worse.I have been advising my patients about this for years in my District Nurse capacity.

HannahLL - Interesting - I've been taking www.naturesbest.co.uk/colladeen/colladeen-visage/ through the summer (someone suggested it reduces the tendency to burn) - it seemed to work, but also my skin is less papery.

The bruising could be caused by medication you are taking or you might have an undiagnosed condition. I would get the doctor to check it out, just for reassurance.

Just a thought, but did you have a check for osteoporosis and/or a bone density scan? With me [severe OP] bruising has been exacerbated by the above condition.

I have osteopenia (hopefully never getting to the osteoporosis stage) and have also found that I bruise easily often without having been aware of any bumps. My legs seem to be the most badly affected probably due to my dog (he's big and frequently leans against me for his ear's to be scratched).
Thank you HannahLoisLuke for the collagen tip I will try that.

I too have very thin skin and bruise horribly. Not just on hand and arms but legs as well. I haven’t worn a skirt for years. I also get little flaps of skin lifting if I catch my arms or legs (they’re beginning to look like fish scales!)
I’ve had blood tests and know my blood is ok. I asked the doctor if the steroids in my inhaler could be the cause and he just said ‘no it’s age’.
Might give collagen a try, I’ve tried everything else!

Visit the doctor, we ain't clinicians here on Gransnet.

I do seem to get bad bruising if I catch a limb on anything sharp eg corner of a cupboard. Last year I hit my shin on an iron bar and bruising was so bad folk thought I must have broken my bone. Nope, just bruising. Would have to say I do seem to bruise easier now. For you though, perhaps a quick visit to surgery to check if recent blood test covered causes of increased bruising.

Bruising is easier if blood thinners - aspirin / clopidogrel/ etc.- are used as the capillaries leak more when knocked.

I've read somewhere that we do indeed bruise more easily as we get older but I can't remember where I read it. One of my neighbours had terrible navy blue legs below the knee due to bruising which seemed to be permanent.
My skin is more sensitive - not only do I bruise more but I get blisters after gardening if I brush against some plants, something which never used to happen. I suspect that gardening gloves are a must but feel clumsy in them.

I get small dark purple bruising to my wrists and back of my hands,( aged 64) and I never used to.
I suspect the steroid medication I am on, which causes thinning of the skin.

I'm not sure if it's a fact " the older you get you bruise more easily " as it's not so in my case but I don't know why.
I've taken warfarin since 2007 now and had a few knocks and bangs with one thing and another, but never any sign of a bruise or anything. A few years back I had the dizziest spell ever and it was all I could do to try and steady myself. As it happened I was indoors,put my arms out to save myself and hit the bedroom wall with a bang on the right side of my face. I expected to see a bruiser of an eye but no---a bit of a swelling on my eyebrow and no bruise ? I wouldn't have gone outdoors if I'd have bruised my face anyway.
I think it depends on the blood vessels being nearer to the surface of the skin in those who bruise easily.

It is important to keep our skin well moisturised as we get older to keep it supple and less papery. My Mother had problems with bruising and could develop them just sitting in her chair but oyr doctor said it's the blood capilliaries breaking down and leaking rather than as a result of knocking yourself. I don't know if there is a similar cream in England but I used Thrombocid cream on my Mums bruises as it helps disperse the blood so they disappear more quickly. Once I started moisturizing her arms and legs twice a day with a medical grade lotion (Menalind) she developed far less bruising and at the age of 97 still had soft moisturised skin.