[wi_fighter]

I bruise really easily. I was trying on some shirts last night and noticed two on my left upper arm that I don't even remember getting. I'm sure I said to myself "Oh, that's going to leave a mark" when I ran into whatever it was, but of course now I can't remember what it was.

I hate wearing shorts and tank tops because I almost always have a bruise on my arms or legs or both, and I never notice anyone else with them. Plus I don't tan anymore because I'm not a fan of wrinkles and skin cancer, so they stand out like an even sorer thumb against my pale white skin.

Anyone have any tips for making them less noticeable or fading faster? I had some arnica cream a few years ago, but I can't say I remember that it made much difference. I've tried body makeup too, but that just looks worse because it's cakey and never matches my skin tone.

[silver_queen]

perhaps it's caused by some nutritional deficiency since you seem to bruise easily and don't remember it?

[wi_fighter]

I've had all kinds of routine blood work done within the past couple of months and everything checks out fine.

I'm just forgetful. I'm sure I noticed when I got the injury, I just don't remember.

I want to know how to camoflage them and/or help them disappear sooner.

[(JD)]

Dermablend works great. Your diet needs to increase in foods that strengthen your blood vessels and use heat now. (Ice when it first happens if you know... prevents the full bleeding) Heat will now help your bloodstream carry away the "dead" blood. A bit of massage will help too. Now TC!!!

[Rhapsody]

I was going to say this too..................

LINK: http://www.dermablend.com/ProductsBySkinCondition.aspx

[wi_fighter]

Thanks _Sky. I'll give that a try.

I've tried Dermablend before. It just doesn't seem to work for me. It always ends up looking as noticeable as a bruise.

[LMo]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
wi_fighter said:
I want to know how to camoflage them ..

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I got it!!!!

Turtlenecks!!!



I just looked it up in a healthcare book we have and it gives the same advice as what _Sky already said -- ice it at the time, but now apply heat.

[Rhapsody]

Symptom Relief

Here's how to minimize the bumps and bruises you're bound to get along the road of life.

Apply icy pressure, pronto. If you've just bumped into something and you know it's going to cause a bruise, immediately press the area with ice wrapped in a washcloth for seven minutes or so. "This keeps blood from leaking out of vessels and will minimize the black-and-blue marks," says Robert E. Clark, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Dermatologic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology Unit at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Ice also helps deaden the pain, he adds.

Give a lift to a just-bumped limb. Raising a bruised arm or leg above the level of your heart will keep blood from pooling in the injured area.

Try warm compresses. Applying a warm washcloth a day or two after an injury helps disperse the extra red blood cells into the tissues. Hold the warm cloth in place for about 20 minutes. The dark area may fade more quickly, says Dr. Litt.

Apply a dab of zinc oxide. "Never bandage a bruise," says Dr. Litt. But covering the bruise with a coating of zinc oxide—a common ingredient in many first-aid creams—before going to bed provides a protective shield and may nudge healing in some way, he says. Both topical and oral zinc play an important role in wound healing.

Try a little arnica. The American Indians knew what they were doing when they smeared the juice of the arnica bush on bruises, according to Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., a plant-drug specialist and professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. "Several years ago, a German study found two substances in this herb that produce anti-inflammatory and painkilling effects," says Dr. Tyler. Health food stores sell ready-made arnica ointments such as Antiflora, which may help bruises disappear. They should contain at least 10 percent arnica to be effective, says Dr. Tyler.

Reach for vitamin C skin cream. The latest "miracle" ingredient to show up in skin cosmetics is vitamin C. This one seems to have some merit. "Vitamin C penetrates the skin deeply and may help build up the skin's support structure of collagen," says Dr. Clark. "This may reduce your vulnerability to bruising."

Vitamin C also helps toughen up older skin, protecting against fragility and bruising. "Preliminary studies have shown that when vitamin C is applied to fresh bruises in older people, the discoloration is minimized," says Douglas Darr, Ph.D., assistant research professor at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Darr's own research has found that topical vitamin C helps prevent damage from past overexposure to sunlight and inactivates harmful substances that corrode the cells and further age the skin. A few of these products are now available; ask your dermatologist.

Swallow vitamin C, too. "Taking 500 to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily may help enhance skin collagen formation and make blood vessels less brittle," says Dr. Clark. Taking vitamin C may be especially important if you also take aspirin or corticosteroids for arthritis. During a study, British researchers observed that arthritis inflammation robs the body of vitamin C, and aspirin and steroids used to combat the disease also tend to drain the body of this nutrient, weakening the capillaries. When people were given 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily, their bruises showed rapid improvement. Before taking large doses of any vitamin, including vitamin C, you should get the consent of your doctor.

Become an oyster lover. Shellfish as well as beef and chicken is an excellent source of zinc. This mineral may help keep blood cells from leaking out of the blood vessels following injury, according to Joseph Bark, M.D., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. You may also want to take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains zinc.

Switch to acetaminophen. Unlike aspirin and ibuprofen, this painkiller does not affect platelet function, says Dr. Shapiro.

Go easy on rash cream. If you are using an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream for an itchy skin condition, don't use it for more than one to two weeks. "These products have the potential to thin the skin and make you more prone to bruising," says Dr. Clark. Be especially careful not to overuse these products in moist areas, such as the armpit and groin, where they can more easily penetrate the skin, he adds.

Check your medications. Make a list of all medications you're taking—both prescription and over-the-counter drugs—and show it to your doctor. Your doctor may be able to suggest changes that will help prevent excess bruising.

* * * * * * *

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[wi_fighter]

Duh, LMo, turtlenecks are for hickeys. I don't have any of those......uh.....yet.

This latest one is on my upper arm.

[January]

Ok, have you tried some of the yellow concealer? It's supposed to hide blue smudges.

Also Max Factor Pan Stick works great at hiding marks. When I get black eyes from when a vessel breaks, I use the pan stick and it works wonders. It's not heavy, it doesn't cake and it comes in a lot of shades. Put it on, then use a sponge to blend. You won't be able to tell you used the makeup and you won't see the bruise. Trust me on this!

Hugs,

Jan

[wi_fighter]

Sweet!! Thanks Jan. Is the Pan Stick waterproof too?

[January]

Waterproof....well, it's supposed to be used on your face, so it does wash off, but it really lasts even if I'm delicately and in a perfectly feminine way, sweating bullets!

Hugs,

Jan

[(JD)]

dermablend can be matched perfectly..and will stay on for days if you apply it correctly...get help from the store ppl... let THEM practice ON the bruises themselves! I had a terrible skin discoloration from taking Effexor...for years...and I used dermablend through it all.

TC.