Don’t you remember when we could hang out with our friends until the next morning after a full day of studying? How about when we pulled all-nighters, and were still ready to head out to party for the weekend? When we were younger, our body recovered a lot quicker from the damage that we did to it, and now we notice that we are now seeing a whole lot more bruises. It is true that we are now subject to bruising more easily as we get older, and when we do bruise, they seem to last a whole lot longer.

The first reason why we may be bruising more as we age is that we have lost a portion of our fat layer that lies just below our skin. This causes the skin to have a rather papery appearance to it, and it is no longer as protective if we fall or bump into something. In the same vein, we find that the tissues supporting our blood vessels is getting a lot weaker, which makes them considerably more prone to incidental damage. As we grow older, the blood vessels themselves have become more frail, and we should be aware of that situation. When the blood vessels beneath our skin break because of blunt trauma, blood will pool below the skin, which causes the bruise formation.

If you are going to attempt to evaluate the process of why you tend to bruise more as you age, you should keep in mind that there may often be other causes involved as well. If you have spent a great deal of time exposed to the sun, that exposure could be a contributing factor, as will the use of things like blood thinners, whether in the form of corticosteroid drugs of over the counter aspirin. Some people will also discover that dietary supplements like ginkgo biloba, garlic, vitamin E, and ginseng can make them tend to easy bruising.

Additionally, remember that bruising might be an indication of some of the more serious problems that can take place as we age. If you are truly concerned that you are bruising without any reason, you should explore the situation with your doctor. Your doctor may decide to have you screened for illnesses that run the gamut from diabetes to blood related diseases. If you become aware of more bruising after you begin a new medication or a new supplement, you should also bring this up to your doctor as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter why it is occurring, bruising is your body’s providing evidence that some form of damage has taken place, and this is a situation that you should not overlook.

Keep track of your bruises. Where do they occur, and when do they occur? Do they feel sore, and how long do they take to heal? What kind of medications have you been taking to help with the bruising, and what more can you do to take care of them? Bruises may very well be a problem, but it is a problem that can definitely be solved with the proper approach.

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