Do You Bruise Easily? Here's What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You

“Easy bruising is a common complaint," says Kathryn McElheny, M.D., a primary care sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. "In one survey of 500 healthy adults, 18 percent of individuals reported easy bruising."

Bruises rarely appear randomly. Roy Silverstein, M.D., president-elect for the American Society of Hematology, says that, for most people, there’s almost always an explanation. “We experience small degrees of minor injury every day—like knocking our arm against the door as we walk through—and don’t always remember it,” he says. “They don’t show up unprompted in healthy individuals.”

Still, not all bruises are a cause for concern, especially if they’re not associated with other symptoms. “An occasional bruise, even if it’s once or twice a month, is not a big deal for the most part,” Dr. Silverstein says.

Again, there could be a ton of different things causing your seemingly random bruise. If you don’t remember banging into anything, and if there isn’t a potential underlying health problem, the experts say there are a few common culprits for more frequent bruising.

"Humans cannot manufacture large amounts of vitamin C on their own. Signs of deficiency include easy bruising, low iron levels, and bleeding gums," Taz Bhatia, M.D., integrative medicine doctor and mbg collective member, writes on mbg. If you suspect you're not getting your daily dose of vitamin C, it's time to pay attention to the foods on your plate. Bhatia recommends upping the intake of citrus fruits including oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits and other fruits such as strawberries, kiwifruit, pineapple, cantaloupe, raspberries, and papaya.

"When you're looking to citrus for your vitamin C, remember to use the zest and flesh, as peels contain five to 10 times more vitamins than the fruit itself," she writes.

Some supplements and medicines—like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs like aspirin), blood thinners, and steroids—can increase the likelihood of bruising and bleeding because they interfere with your blood’s natural ability to clot, Dr. Silverstein says. “One of the most important elements in the blood that helps prevent excess bleeding after injury are blood platelets,” he explains. “[When you take] aspirin and other NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, they paralyze the platelets [so] they don’t work as well and that can cause the bleeding and bruising.”

“Part of the job of the skin, and the tissues underneath the skin, is to maintain the integrity of the blood vessels and the network of fat and tissue that keeps everything in place,” Dr. Silverstein says. So anything that harms the skin—like smoking or getting too much sun exposure—can ultimately make tissue more frail so they won't protect blood vessels as well, which might make you more prone to bruises.

As you get older, your skin becomes thinner and loses some of the protective fatty layer that helps cushion your blood vessels from injury and, therefore, bruising, Dr. McElheny says. And since there isn’t an actual wishing well that keeps us from getting older, it’s best to establish a healthy skincare routine as early as possible. You know the drill: Exfoliate, moisturize, and always, always wear sunblock.

Subjecting yourself to years of unprotected sun exposure can weaken blood vessel walls and skin tissue, which contributes to a type of bruising known as senile purpura, or purple patches that often show up on the backs of the hands and forearms. These aren't harmful to your health, but they're pretty easy to prevent. Again, make sunscreen (preferably, a mineral sunscreen) your best friend.

To avoid bruising altogether, consider making a few adjustments around the house. “Maintain good lighting, [and] keep the stairs and walkways uncluttered to avoid falls and trauma,” Dr. McElheny says. Otherwise, talk to your doctor about the potential side effects of any medications you’re taking, and be good to your skin.