Any suggestions to help with blood bruising on arms?
I’ve developed a pretty severe problem with blood bruises on my arms.
It started about 18 months ago and hasn’t stopped with diligent healing lotions, sunscreens, bruising creams, etc.
I recently saw a dermatologist who did a biopsy with negative results. He recommended continuing my regimen of lotion and sunscreen. I was disappointed he couldn’t help me more, but maybe there isn’t more he could do? A few months ago at an annual checkup I had comprehensive blood tests done and everything looks good. I’m not taking blood thinners or anything that would cause my capillaries to break so easily.
It’s so severe that I can tap my arm on something and it leaves a mark. My dog recently (accidentally) kicked her back legs off my upper arm and tore the top layers of skin off which left bad cuts and bruising from my forearm to my shoulder. I ended up at urgent care after it became infected and then 7 days on antibiotics. It’s healing but takes so long.
I’m dedicated to putting quality lotions and creams on my arms and I wear sunscreen when outside. I purchased sleeves to wear when outside working on my yard. I try to avoid the sun whenever I can.
I spent plenty of time in the sun growing up. I loved water sports and live close to the beach. But for the past 25 years my exposure has been limited. It seems this issue came on after I stopped taking pain medications and started using ibuprofen for pain. Recently, after reading that ibuprofen can thin the blood, I switched to acetaminophen. I haven’t seen any change yet.
Just last night I pushed a chair in at a dinner table and the top of my hand tapped the underside of the table, I now have a blood bruise across the top of my right hand. It seems like every day I have a new bruise.
I feel like my life is limited to avoiding the sun and hiding my beat up arms! Summer is here and I’d love nothing more than to be able to go outside in short sleeves and enjoy the day without getting stares at my horribly bruised arms! I know this is common with old age. I’m 65 and feel like I’m too young for the severity of bruising.
Is there anything that has helped anyone with this issue? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
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We each (as we age) have some issues with the issue you describe.. Fragile, thinning, older skin on arms especially , is what it is unfortunately.
Keeping it well hydrated with coconut oil helps my arms.
There is not much that can be done for it --
For what its worth i have tried everything. Arnica helps heal the bruises. And these sleeves are helpful when you are cleaning, flipping a mattress, opening boxes - all activities that predictably leave me covered in these bruises. I wish they came in a true neutral instead of sherbert colors. But they help some.
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=jgsimuhnrmnvpops&orderId=111-4129026-9230663&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=GkrJWBm9p
I use topical Hirudoid GEL NOT CREAM (a European brand I got from a friend in Portugal and now I get on eBay from Slovakia) for injuries to my skin before the blood even starts moving. I can’t say it helps, really. I think it speeds healing of bruised skin, but I don’t think it works well enough to justify all of the tubes I have bought and keep handy everywhere I go…. I like having the product handy to hopefully minimize the bruising by applying immediately upon injury. And subsequently until the bruise fades. It’s gives a bit of a cooling sensation simply because of the product being a cool gel.