The type of medicine and frequency that you need to take it depends on your unique circumstances. Easy bruising occurs more frequently and in areas of the body where an injury is unlikely. But when you bruise, your vessels are literally injured or broken in a sense, and blood pools around those vessels and rises to the skin. Easy bruising can be a side effect of some over-the-counter dietary supplements such as ginkgo, ginseng, and garlic.
Most bruises eventually disappear as the body reabsorbs the blood, although healing might take longer as you age. It might help to alcohol and bruising elevate the affected area and apply ice. However, if you bruise easily, even a minor bump can result in a substantial bruise.
Frequently asked questions
If you notice any of these signs, you may have easy bruising. You may want to talk with your healthcare provider about the best treatment options available. If you have a darker skin tone, you may notice purple, dark brown or black bruising.
A bruise develops when blood vessels sustain damage and blood leaks into tissues under the skin. This causes the characteristic black or purple color of a bruise. They may notice bruises but not know why they occurred. They may also develop large bruises after minor injuries or have bruises that take many weeks to heal. Some people bruise more easily than others, and the bruising can take longer to heal. Elderly skin bruising is a common symptom of thinning skin and fragile blood vessels just beneath the skin.
Symptoms & Signs A-Z List
Many bruises like this are highly treatable and your symptoms can be managed with the right medical oversight. Some bleeding disorders can cause a person’s blood to stop clotting or clot too slowly. Blood clots turn from a liquid to a gel and help the body prevent losing too much blood. If you notice you are bruising easy, you should stop asking yourself, “Why am I bruising easily” and go see your doctor. You don’t want to let an underlying medical condition go undetected. But in rare cases, red or purple bruises could be sign of cancer like leukemia.
- Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer-editor who covers health, nutrition, and lifestyle topics for various publications including Prevention, Everyday Health, SELF, People, and more.
- “If your symptoms arise out of the blue, as in you never had issues before and then suddenly you start bleeding easily, it’s important to seek medical attention,” she explains.
- You’ll see discoloration from the bleeding under your skin, which is a bruise.