What are these bruises and how do I get rid of them?

September 5, 2008 2:10 PM

I know about spider veins (those tiny, flat blue/red/purple lines) and varicose veins (raised, lumpy veins). I know that these can be treated with laser or sclerotherapy. But what do you call faint blue bruising that seems to follow the path of blood vessels but is neither sharply defined nor raised? And how can you treat it?

I've had a very faint permanent bruise on one leg for at least ten years, but it now seems to be spreading into an estuary of bruises. Is this just an amorphous set of spider veins, an early stage of varicose veins, or something else? Or is my skin is just getting thinner and these are normal blood vessels?

posted by wexford_arts to health & fitness (3 answers total)

That sounds like normal blood vessels to me. A bruise would have healed itself long ago, barring some weird clotting disorder.

I seem to have particularly thin skin and/or veins that are closer to the surface than everyone else. There's a vein that is right around my mouth and chin that looks like I either have a bruise or forgot to wash my face right there. I just noticed it a few years ago, so I've chalked it up to a new funky thing that's no big deal.
posted by chiababe at 2:52 PM on September 5, 2008

Yeah, your description sounds like regular ol' blood vessels showing through skin. Are you pale-skinned? If they really bother you, you could try disguising them with self-tanner or body makeup.

Mine show up a lot more when it's hot out, almost as though the veins were moving closer to the surface to cool me off (or maybe I just notice them more when I'm in shorts all the time). So weather could be another factor, in addition to thinning skin.
posted by hippugeek at 3:05 PM on September 5, 2008

So it is probably just plain old veins? That's a relief in one way -- I was a bit worried about incipient varicose veins -- but on the other hand, it seems that there isn't much I can do about it. Oh, well. Thanks!
posted by wexford_arts at 6:10 PM on September 5, 2008