Why You're Bruising So Easily & What To Do About It

Have you been bruising super easily lately? Are you noticing bruises that you can't even begin to wonder where they came from? Read on to discover why you might be bruising so easily.

You're getting older. As much as you hate to think about it, you might just be getting older. As you age, your skin loses its protective layers of fat. The production of the structural protein called collagen also slows down significantly, resulting in thin skin as you age. This is especially common in women ages 60 and up.

You have a history of sun exposure. Do you never miss a chance to soak up the sun? It should be no surprise that sun damage can extend to the bruising of your skin, especially if you've had a couple bad sunburns. We already know that we lose collagen as we age, but UV rays damage your collagen even more, leaving you with thinner skin fast. To combat sun damage, you should wear sunscreen every day! Check out these six sunscreens to wear all year long.

You take a daily aspirin. Aspirin, like blood thinners, work by disabling platelets that cause your blood to coagulate or clot. With thinner blood and less clotting cells, even minor trauma to your skin will leave marks. If you take a daily aspirin or blood thinner, that might be why you're bruising so easily. Consider not taking a daily aspirin unless you have had a heart attack.

You need more citrus. True vitamin deficiencies are rare in the United States, but they do get more common with age. Vitamin C helps with the wound healing process and collagen production. You might need more vitamin C if you experience fatigue, depression, bleeding gums, swollen joints, nosebleeds, dry hair or dry skin. Try this Clean Green Citrus Tea!

It might just be your skin tone. Fair skin is naturally more thin than other skin tones, which means it's naturally more susceptible to bruising. Bad news if you're also a little clumsy.

>> Read more: 8 Tips for Healthy Winter Skin

You might have vasculitis. Vasculitis is a group of diseases that causes inflammation of your blood vessels. You'll notice red bruises called purpura that are the result of those inflamed blood vessels bursting. Vasculitis could be an autoimmune disease or the result of a long-time chronic illness like hepatitis. If you suspect you may have vasculitis, talk to your doctor, who can provide you with medication.

You might have purpuric dermatosis: Purpuric dermatosis is a vascular condition in which blood leaks out of very small capillaries, creating thousands of tiny orange and purple bruises. From afar, it can look like cayenne pepper, and it is common in the elderly. Symptoms can be itchy skin, but a topical cream and good sunscreen practices are enough to keep the condition under control.

Source: Prevention