Season of Skin Exposure Are You Bothered by Bruises?

Women Tend to Get More Bruises–

A human body is very tightly and densely constructed without any gaps. However, there are some areas where the structure is not as dense as in other areas of the body, like the area around eyes.

Bleeding stops faster and the loss of blood is less in a tightly structured area, but this is not the case for loosely structured areas.

Women tend to get bruises very easily. Women have thinner skin, so even with a slight shock, a wall of a blood vessels can be damaged. In addition, female hormones make the walls weak.

Older people also get bruises easily, because the areas around blood vessels become older and prone to damage. Also exposing skin to the sun for a long period makes skin prone to bruises.

Managing Bruises-

Usually a bruise turns yellowish in two weeks and disappears in a month. To minimize the area of a bruise, press the area for about seven minutes with ice wrapped around a wet towel. This is to contract the blood vessels and to stop the bleeding.

At the same time, a bruised limb should be raised higher than the heart to prevent blood from flowing down to the bruised area.

If a bruise is one or two days old, press a warm towel against the bruised area to spread the blood in the tissue and help it absorb. Even nearly-black bruises fade a bit after pressing a warm towel to them for about 20 minutes. Applying vitamin C medication on the area is also helpful.

The [Korean] traditional bruise treatment of rolling an egg can make the bruise fade by spreading the blood wider. In the same light, massage can be helpful for getting rid of bruises by stimulating blood circulation.

Frequent Bruises Calls for Medical Attention—

Among the people who complain, “I get bruises so easily,” there are some who get bruises without any external injury. In cases like these, a blood disorder can be the real problem behind the bruises.

When there are not enough platelets in blood to make a blood clot, or the platelets don’t function properly, a small shock can lead to serious bleeding and then finally result in frequent bruises.

If one shows a tendency of not only frequent bruises but also frequent bleedings from the nose and the gums, he or she should suspect the possibility of blood cancer such as leukemia.

In cases of varicosity when leg veins sag, the veins become weak and that makes a leg also bruise easily. Varicosity makes blue blood veins appear like spider webs with symptoms such as heavy, numb, and sore feelings on the legs.

Certain types of medication can cause bruise-prone skin as well. The most common ones are contraceptive pills, joint medications, diuretics, and Wafarin, which prevents blood clots. Aspirin can cause a problem like bruise-prone skin and nose bleeds because it interferes with the function of platelets. People who have been on steroid medication for a long time for asthma and eczema can also show tendency towards frequent bruises.

(Advice provided by Professor Yoo Jun-hyun, Samsung Seoul Medical Center Department of Family Medicine; Professor Lee Guen, Emergency Care Department, Ga-chon Medical School Gil Medical Center; Director Kim Hae-gyun, Gangnam Yonsei Thoracic and Cardiac Clinic; Director Kim Jo Yong Goeun, Sesang Dermatology Clinic )

Jin-Han Lee likeday@donga.com