Why Do I Bruise Easily? Age And Gender May Have Something To Do With It

We all experience bruises caused by everyday knocks, bumps and falls throughout our lives.

But some of us seem to be more prone to gaining bruises than our friends, regardless of how accident-prone they may be.

So, what makes a person "bruise like a peach"?

To find out, we must first understand a few basic facts about those pesky brown blobs.

What is a bruise?

According to Nelsons arnicare, a bruise is caused when an impact ruptures small blood vessels under the skin, allowing blood to escape and build up forming a discolouration.

Nerve endings within the affected tissue detect the increased pressure and depending on severity and location, may be perceived as pain or pressure.

The good news is that minor bruises often do not hurt at all.

What is the life cycle of a bruise?

Bruises follow a rainbow of colours as they heal. They begin a purple or blue colour then change over time to green, yellow and eventually brown.

Although most bruises tend to fade slowly over a couple of weeks, you should visit your GP if you suddenly get lots of bruises or begin to bruise for no reason.

How should you treat a bruise?

The NHS recommend you treat bruises on your skin by limiting the internal bleeding. You can do this by cooling the area with a cold compress (a flannel or cloth soaked in cold water) or an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

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Why are some people more prone to bruising?

A bruise can form on any skin tone but they tend to show up more on those with fairer skin.

Older people are also more prone to bruises because as we age, our skin gets thinner and the tissue underneath is more fragile.

In contrast, toddlers and younger children tend to have lots of superficial bruises because of their busy, active lifestyles.

According to Live Science Contributor Joseph Castro, various medications can also cause you to bruise more easily.

"These include aspirin, the corticosteroids prednisone and prednisolone, anticoagulants, antibiotics, and blood thinners (including certain dietary supplements, such as fish oil and ginkgo)," he says.

"If you bruise easily, it may also be a sign of malnutrition or a lack of adequate amounts of certain nutrients, including folic acid and vitamins B12, C and K."

It is also thought that women bruise more easily than men because of the different way their skin is made up.

"Easier bruising in women is probably because women’s skin is thinner and because the fat and blood vessels in their skin is organized a little differently compared to men," Dr Jeffrey Benabio writes on The Derm Blog.

"The dense collagen layer is thicker in men and the blood vessels are held more securely. Similarly, structural differences between men’s and women’s skin can be seen in things like cellulite, which you’ll notice men don’t have, even when they’re overweight."

7 Things Every Woman Needs To Do For Her Skin

1. Double up on fruits and vegetables.(01 of07)

Eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables can give you a healthy, vital glow. A 2012 study in the journal PLoS One found that people who ate a lot of colorful produce were perceived as being healthier and more attractive (seriously!). One reason is that the carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables (e.g., carrots, pumpkin, red peppers, squash) boost the skin's yellow, red and orange tones, says Elisa Zied, RD, a nutritionist and author of Younger Next Week. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a lot of vitamin C, in particular, were less prone to wrinkles and dry, scaly skin (possibly because the nutrient promotes the production of collagen). Think you're doing just fine in the, erm, produce department? Zied recommends 4.5 cups a day of fruit and vegetables and says that the average woman consumes only around two and a half cups. (credit:Mattomedia Werbeagentur via Getty Images)

2. Do this only twice a day. (02 of07)

Most women wash their face three to four times a day, says Emmy Graber, MD, a dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the Boston University School of Medicine, but studies show that twice a day is optimal. The more you wash, the more likely you are to strip your skin of natural oils. What's more, Graber says that some of the exfoliating particles found in scrubs (like pieces of fruit pits) can cause microscopic scratches on the skin. And microbeads that are gentler on the face can be bad for us in other ways (they've recently been found to pollute the ocean, and increasingly, the Great Lakes and may boost the level of toxins in the fish we eat). Graber says that a washcloth does a fine job at sloughing off dead skin cells, dirt and makeup. (credit:Sydney Shaffer via Getty Images)

3. Don't worry so much about wearing enough sunscreen...(03 of07)

...under your eyes. This sounds blasphemous, but the skin under the eye tends to be very thin and sensitive, says Graber, so while it is prone to sun damage, it's also susceptible to irritation from the product's ingredients. You're better off getting a pair of large sunglasses—think Jackie O.—and wearing them everywhere. Note: Graber says they must specify 99 to 100 percent UV protection (if they just say "UV protection," without a percentage, they probably don't screen much at all). (credit:Steve Duchesne via Getty Images)

4. Totally worry about sunscreen...(04 of07)

...even when you think you're protected by clothing. A light-colored shirt has a very low UPF of about 5 or 7, says Isaac Neuhaus, MD, a dermatologic surgeon and associate professor of dermatology at UCSF. If it's stretched out, wet or made of unbleached cotton (which has pigments that absorb UV rays, it offers even less. (credit:mother image via Getty Images)

5. Show your décolletage some TLC.(05 of07)

Every dermatologist we talked to said that the worst, most noticeable sun damage they see on women is on the chest. Any time you're outside in a top that exposes your chest (which is probably more often than you realize), bring your sunscreen down to the bra line, says Brooke Jackson, MD, a dermatologist and associate professor of Dermatology at UNC at Chapel Hill. And if you use moisturizer or other treatment for your face, consider using it on your neck and chest, as well. (credit:Ralf Nau via Getty Images)

6. Choose the least-popular sleep position. (06 of07)

Only 14 percent of Americans sleep on their back—even though it's the best way to prevent sleep wrinkles. Sleeping on the side or on the stomach (done by 63 percent and 16 percent of us, respectively) has been shown to cause wrinkles on the parts of the face pressed into the pillow, says Neuhaus. If you can't sleep on your back because you have a snoring problem, sleep apnea, bad knees, a bad back or a too-snuggly partner, consider a silk pillowcase or a special pillow with a cutout for your face. (credit:ONOKY - Fabrice LEROUGE via Getty Images)

7. Add another yearly reminder to your calendar. (07 of07)

You've heard that you should visit a dermatologist once a year for a skin cancer screening. Here's why: "Dermatologists will likely pick up a skin cancer or abnormality at an early stage because of training," Jackson says. And the earlier you catch skin cancer, the easier it is to cure. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests making an appointment on your birthday ("birthday suit" — get it?), but any date you'll remember will do. (credit:Atsushi Yamada via Getty Images)

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