As we age, our ability to bruise also increases.  Capillary walls become more fragile and rupture more easily.  Skin becomes thinner therefore providing less of a cushion against injury.  Most of the time, the bruises will go away without treatment or any cause for alarm.  However, sometimes bruising can be a sign of a more serious condition. 

Bruises are formed when capillaries (small blood vessels) near the surface of the skin are broken by an injury. The appearance of the bruise is caused from blood that leaks out of the vessels. The bruise usually disappears once the body reabsorbs the blood.

Medications can also be a factor in bruising as some drugs reduce the blood’s ability to clot. Blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin and Coumadin can cause bleeding from capillary damage to take longer to stop therefore allowing enough blood to leak out to create a bruise.

But when is bruising an indication of a more serious problem? The following is a list of symptoms to watch for: