A bruise occurs when blood becomes trapped under the skin, usually because of an impact that damages a tiny blood vessel. A fall, blow, or anything else that puts sudden high pressure on the skin can cause a bruise.
Very forceful blows can damage bones, causing deep bleeding and bruises that take several weeks to heal.
Minor bruises often heal in a few days. Some people find that they bruise so easily that they do not remember the original cause. Others develop large bruises after minor injuries or notice that their bruises take many weeks to heal.
Bruising easily does not necessarily mean that a person has a medical condition, but a sudden change in the number of bruises that a person develops may warrant a conversation with a doctor. People tend to bruise more easily as they age because blood vessels become weaker and the skin thins.
Easy bruising may also run in families, so people whose relatives bruise easily may notice that they do as well. It can be difficult for a person to assess whether they have more bruises than usual or bruise more easily than most other people.
Some signs that a person bruises more easily than is typical include:. Numerous medical conditions and lifestyle issues can cause a person to bruise more easily. The most common include:. Medications that thin the blood may cause a person to bleed and bruise more. Some popular blood thinners include:. Some other medications may weaken or change the behavior of blood vessels, worsen inflammation , or otherwise increase the risk of bleeding.
They may include the following:. People taking medication who notice an increase in bleeding or bruising should ask their doctor if their medication can cause bleeding. If this is the case, they can discuss with the doctor the risks and benefits of continuing treatment. Alcohol abuse is a key risk factor for liver diseases, such as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis and other liver diseases slowly undermine liver function.
Angelini says. Age is another factor. Older adults may bruise more easily than younger people. Their thinning skin often has less fat underneath to cushion the blood vessels. Bruises due to minor injuries or accidents usually disappear on their own after a week or two. During the healing process, the bruise will change color before fading away. During an office visit, your doctor will review your family and personal medical history.
If your doctor decides medication is probably causing your bruising, he or she will discuss other options. It may also result from pricking the skin to test your blood sugar or injecting insulin. People with von Willebrand disease are born with the condition, but may not develop symptoms until later in life. This bleeding disorder is a lifelong condition. Whenever this blood gets trapped under the surface of the skin, it will form a bruise. Someone with von Willebrand disease might notice large or lumpy bruises from minor, even unnoticeable, injuries.
Thrombophilia means that your blood has an increased tendency to clot. This condition occurs when your body makes too much or too little clotting chemicals. Thrombophilia typically has no symptoms until a blood clot develops. If you develop a blood clot, your doctor will probably test you for thrombophilia and may put you on blood thinners anticoagulants.
People who take blood thinners bruise more easily. People who have cancer often experience excessive bleeding and bruising. Without enough platelets, your blood clots more slowly than normal. This means that a minor bump or injury can cause large or lumpy bruises. People who have cancers in parts of the body responsible for blood production, like the liver , may also experience unusual clotting.
The most common symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is painless swelling in the lymph nodes, which are located in the neck, groin, and armpit. If NHL spreads to the bone marrow, it can reduce the number of blood cells in your body. This bleeding disorder is caused by a low platelet count. Without enough platelets, the blood has trouble clotting. People with ITP may develop bruises for no apparent reason. Bleeding under the skin may also present as pinprick-sized red or purple dots that resemble a rash.
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Why Am I Bruising Easily? Medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, M. Medications that cause easy bruising Medical conditions that cause easy bruising Diagnosis In children Treatment Prevention See your doctor Easy bruising. Medications that cause easy bruising. Medical conditions that cause easy bruising.
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