Fragile skin and bruising glossary

By Margaret Hale, Reunoa EditorialLast updated

The short answer

This glossary explains, in plain English, the medical words you'll meet when reading about bruising and fragile skin after 55 — such as purpura (flat purple patches from bleeding into the skin), ecchymosis (a larger bruise), petechiae (pinpoint red dots), hemosiderin (iron that stains skin brown) and dermatoporosis (chronic skin fragility).

On this page
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. H
  7. I
  8. L
  9. P
  10. S
  11. V

A

Actinic purpura

Another name for senile purpura: flat, dark-purple patches on sun-damaged forearms and hands after minor knocks. "Actinic" means caused by sunlight [3].

Anticoagulant

A medicine that slows blood clotting, such as warfarin, apixaban (Eliquis) or rivaroxaban (Xarelto). Often called a "blood thinner" [5]. See bruising on blood thinners.

Antiplatelet

A medicine that makes platelets less sticky, such as low-dose aspirin or clopidogrel (Plavix) [5].

Arnica montana

A mountain flower used in creams and gels for bruises. Strength varies from homeopathic dilutions to concentrated extracts. See Reunoa ingredients.

B

Bateman purpura

Another name for senile purpura, after Thomas Bateman, the British dermatologist who described it in 1818 [3].

Bilirubin

A yellow pigment made when the body breaks down haemoglobin — the reason bruises turn yellow as they heal. See bruise color stages.

Biliverdin

A green pigment, the first breakdown product of haemoglobin, which gives healing bruises their green tint.

C

Ceramides

Fats that form a large part of the skin's outer barrier. See ceramides for fragile skin.

Contusion

The medical word for a bruise.

Crepey skin

Thin, finely wrinkled skin that looks like crepe paper, mostly from sun damage and aging. See crepey skin on arms.

D

Dermatoporosis

A term proposed by Swiss dermatologists for chronic skin fragility in older adults — very thin skin, purpura, star-shaped scars and frequent tears — likened to osteoporosis of the skin [4].

Dermis

The thick middle layer of skin, made mostly of collagen, which supports blood vessels and nerves [2].

DOAC

Direct oral anticoagulant — newer blood thinners such as apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran and edoxaban.

E

Ecchymosis

A larger area of bleeding under the skin — the medical term for a typical bruise [1].

Epidermis

The thin outer layer of skin, which becomes thinner with age [2].

H

Hematoma

A collection of blood that pools under the skin or in deeper tissue, often forming a raised, firm lump. Large or growing hematomas should be checked by a doctor.

Hemosiderin

An iron-storage protein left after red blood cells break down; it can stain the skin brown for months. See hemosiderin staining.

I

INR

International normalised ratio — a blood test that measures how long blood takes to clot in people taking warfarin.

L

Lipodermatosclerosis

Hardening and tightening of the skin on the lower legs caused by long-standing vein problems, often with brown discoloration [6].

P

Petechiae

Tiny red or purple pinpoint dots caused by bleeding from very small vessels. Unlike redness, they don't fade when pressed. New petechiae should be checked by a doctor [1].

Phytonadione

The chemical name of vitamin K1, used in some skin creams. See vitamin K cream for bruises.

Purpura

Flat purple patches caused by blood collecting under the skin, larger than petechiae [1].

S

Senile purpura

Common, harmless purple patches on the forearms and hands of older adults, caused by thin, sun-damaged skin [3]. "Senile" simply means age-related. Full guide: senile purpura.

Skin tear

A wound where thin skin splits or peels away, often from friction or a minor knock.

Stellate pseudoscars

White, star-shaped scars on the forearms left after purpura or skin tears heal; part of dermatoporosis [4].

V

Venous insufficiency

A condition in which leg veins don't return blood efficiently, which can cause swelling and brown staining on the lower legs [6].

Sources

  1. Bleeding into the skin — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
  2. Aging changes in skin — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.
  3. Senile purpura — DermNet (New Zealand).
  4. Kaya G, Saurat JH Dermatoporosis: a chronic cutaneous insufficiency/fragility syndrome. Dermatology, 2007. PubMed 17911985
  5. Blood Thinners — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
  6. Stasis dermatitis and ulcers — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

General information, not medical advice. Written by the Reunoa editorial team; Reunoa makes Bruise Defense & Repair Serum. See our editorial policy for how we pick sources and keep product mentions fair.