A bruise, also referred to as a contusion, is a natural response to impact. The skin's surface is full of small capillaries (blood vessels) that are often damaged when subjected to a sudden blow or similar injury. The blood within the capillaries then leaks out and can be seen through the skin as a blue, red, purple or black mark. Within time, the body will reabsorb the blood, and the bruise will disappear. As adults grow older, they often find that they are more susceptible to bruising. And although there is no way to cure a bruise once it has already established itself, it is possible to avoid bruising in the first place.
Instructions
1. Avoid bruising by clearing obstacles. Many bruises begin in a darkened room with awkwardly placed furniture and clutter. The edges of tables, chairs and toys or other items left haphazardly on the floor also attribute to bruising. Bruising can be caused by simply bumping into furniture to more serious injuries resulting from tripping on random items left on the floor. Rearranging a room to give wide-open paths from side to side will eliminate the possibility of bumping into furniture.
2. Done long sleeves and pants to prevent bruising associated with thin skin. As adults age, their outer layers of skin tend to thin. This exposes capillaries just under the surface to potential bruising. When in a situation in which bruising may be plausible, add an extra layer to protect blood vessels.
3. Avoid activities that may increase skin damage. Strong and healthy skin is the best protection anyone can offer their blood vessels against bursting on impact. However, prolonged sun exposure, environmental pollutants and unhealthy lifestyles often increase the aging process of the outer layers of skin. The Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun to prevent excessive aging which may lead to the susceptibility of bruising.
Tags: blood vessels, bumping into, bumping into furniture, into furniture, items left