“In the case of too few platelets, the body won’t be able to control bleeding after experiencing physical trauma,” Dr. Johnston says. The inflammatory disease process (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and the like) can lead to a low platelet count and affect how well your blood clots following an injury. The liver helps create proteins that enable blood to clot. “Without these proteins, excessive bleeding and bruising can occur,” Dr. Johnston says. You’re probably no stranger to bruises — just ask the corner of your coffee table.

• Older adults bruise more easily than younger people due to thinning of the skin and a loss of the cushioning fatty layer around the blood vessels.
• It was very surprising for me to know that we damage our vessels every time you scratch your hand, kick the ball or keep your arm on the armrest for a long time!
• Heavy alcohol use can damage the liver, leaving it unable to make these important proteins.
• The liver is responsible regulating blood clotting, so a damaged liver could lead to bleeding and bruising.
• After two days, you can apply a warm compress or a heating pad several times a day.

Keeping your home clear of mess and furniture you can easily bump into can avert bruises. Maintain good lighting in your home to avoid any areas where you can fall or bump into something. A healthcare provider may advise stopping or adjusting the dose of certain medicines if they cause you to bruise easily. “When your own immune system attacks blood cells or the actual blood vessels themselves, it increases the risk of bruising,” Dr. Kappel says. Anti-inflammatory medications, like steroids (used to treat conditions such as asthma, hives, psoriasis and allergies), can also cause easy bruising, thanks to their skin-thinning effects. “Any medications that have a blood-thinning effect or reduce your blood’s ability to create clots will trigger bigger bruises after experiencing impact on the body,” Dr. Johnston says.

Skin Cancer and Alcohol

These are rare, but they can be life-threatening if you don’t treat them. You bang your toe on the closet door, and before too long, it turns a garish black and blue. But sometimes you spot a bruise and you can’t figure out how you got it. Check out these common things that may cause those blotches and learn how to prevent them. As recovering alcoholics ourselves we know how hard it is to find reliable, and free resources to help yourself or a loved one.

Do not hold ice or anything frozen directly against a child’s skin. Thing is it cant be a bruise as its still there and now has very dry looking skin in that place but still is dark like a bruise. Most bruises aren’t much more than a nuisance, but if it’s very painful, or if you’ve had it for 2 weeks and it doesn’t show signs of getting better, call your doctor. “If it bothers you—if it recurs or it occurs, and you can’t explain it, and you’re concerned, or you have a family history of a problem—then you should see somebody,” advised Dr. Ragni. “You can either have an insufficient number of platelets, or your platelets don’t work normally,” said Dr. Ragni.

Drinking Alcohol Lupus

A healthcare provider may ask about your family health history, including people with bruising or bleeding problems. While certain conditions and medications can cause you to bruise more easily, you may still be able to prevent bruises. Skin in older adults is generally thinner, which can increase your risk of bruising.

When there’s not enough hemoglobin to go around, the body’s red blood cells aren’t able to function properly. Because they act as the body’s oxygen-delivery service, your cells won’t receive enough oxygen to thrive, making your skin more susceptible to bruising. In many cases, people with alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) do not have any noticeable symptoms until their liver is badly damaged. People with paler complexions may notice more bruises than the average person and therefore may think they have a tendency to bruise more easily, according to Obiozor. Sun damage can also lead to hyperpigmentation, which may also be mistaken for bruising. Older people tend to bruise more easily, which Saeed said is likely related to our skin thinning and our levels of collagen and elastin going down as we age.

drinking alcohol after removal of the spleen

A rare platelet disorder may be to blame if bruises seem to appear for no reason. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a low platelet condition. Blood platelets are crucial because they help form clots to slow or halt bleeding. You should also seek medical attention if your bruises appear on parts of your body where injuries are unlikely to occur, like your torso, back, face or on the backs of your hands.

To help a bruise heal faster, place an ice pack in a thin towel and apply it to the affected area several times a day. Also, elevate the body part above the level of your heart as much as possible. After two days, you can apply a warm compress or a heating pad several times a day. An elastic bandage over the bruise can help reduce swelling, but make sure it is not too tight.

In fact, alcohol causes lots of people to bruise more — and not just because you’re more prone to falling when you’re drunk.

It could be a sign that you’ve got a condition called cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver. We don’t mean you woke up with a black-and-blue mark because you bumped into something after one too many cocktails. But if you often drink a lot of alcohol and you tend to bruise easily, it may mean alcohol and bruising you’ve got liver problems. If you’ve been a sun worshipper all your life, you may notice your skin bruises more easily. That’s because over time, the sun slowly weakens your skin and the tiny blood vessels underneath it. An SPF of at least 30 helps prevent sun damage that causes bruises.

Another problem caused by drinking too much alcohol is that it may exacerbate skin conditions that someone already has like rosacea and psoriasis. Rosacea affects around 16 million Americans and is characterized by redness across the cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose, though can spread to affect the ears, scalp, and chest. Over time, rosacea can cause visible blood vessels, so it’s no surprise that alcohol can exacerbate the problem. However, if left untreated, excess tissue can grow in the form of bumps across affected areas. Sufferers usually find that red wine is most likely to trigger flare ups and a single drink is often enough to bring on symptoms. Some chronic alcoholics develop a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which results from a thiamine (vitamin B-1) deficiency.