5 Reasons Some People Bruise More Easily Than Others

Bruises are the blue-black patches that occur when tiny blood vessels get damaged under the skin due to an injury. Minor bruises usually heal on their own after a while and major ones (those involving bones) take longer to heal.

However, some people experience bruises quite often and their bruises do not heal as quickly. Bruising generally increases with age and is more common in women than men.

Here are five possible causes behind bruising easily:

1. Certain medications

There are various medications that can thin your blood and increase your chances of bleeding or bruising. These include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cancer medication and steroids. Certain herbs like garlic and ginseng can also increase your risk of bleeding and bruising.

If you are using any of the above medications or herbal remedies, and are noticing frequent bruising, you should talk to your doctor about it. They may change the dose of your medications to help with the problem.

2. Health conditions

Low levels of blood platelets and a blood clotting disorder like hemophilia are some other causes of easy and frequent bruising. If you have a family history of bleeding problems or easy bruising or if you tend to bleed a lot after a normal injury, such an underlying cause may be the reason for it.

Some other conditions that may lead to easy bleeding include fragile blood vessels, Cushing’s syndrome and an enlarged spleen.

3. Alcohol abuse

If you tend to consume a lot of alcohol, it might eventually damage your liver. Your liver produces various proteins that are involved in clotting. And absence or reduction in the amount of these proteins will make you prone to bleeding and bruising.

It is important to have alcohol only in moderation or not at all. If you’re experiencing other symptoms like fatigue, dark-coloured urine and itching, along with frequent bruising, you may have a liver disease. However, it is best to check in with your doctor instead of self-diagnosing since a lot of conditions have overlapping symptoms.

4. Vitamin deficiency

Deficiency of vitamin K or C may be another possible reason for your easy bruising.

While vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the process of blood clotting, vitamin C is responsible for the formation of collagen in the body. Collagen is a protein that maintains the structural integrity of the skin and connective tissues (blood vessels for example). Lack of this protein may cause the blood vessels to become brittle and hence break easily.

Similarly, various proteins involved in blood clotting are dependent on vitamin K for their function. Lack of this vitamin may hinder the process of coagulation and make you bleed and bruise easily.

5. Old age

Older people tend to have less fat and muscle mass underneath their skin to protect their blood vessels. They also have more fragile blood vessels than younger people. As a result, they tend to bruise easily with the smallest of injuries. If you tend to notice more frequent bruises as you grow older, it may just be a normal part of ageing.

If you are also taking any medications that increase the chances of bleeding, it might further increase your chances of bruising.

If you’re troubled by frequent bruising, consult a doctor to identify the cause. 

For more information, read our article on Bruises.

Health articles on News18 are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.