My skin is bruising so easily, my hands are a mess although I try to be careful. I suppose it’s the steroids but even the slightest knock causes a nasty looking bruise anywhere. Is there anything that I can do to protect my poor old hide? Is it normal?
Just so fed up, horrible purple skin, dried up thinning hair! What a sight! Good job my old man still loves me!
‘Fraid it’s normal.....try using DoubleBase Emollient cream....available online and all chemists to keep skin as moisturised as possible....
arnica cream for the bruising (so long as skin not damaged)...
if you do need to cover then use plasters for very sensitive skin (Micropore is one make), or gauge covered by a tubular bandage and tape - 3M™ Micropore™ Surgical Tape it away from the damaged skin. If you use ordinary plasters they will tear skin....and make even more of a mess.
Try and keep forearms and shins covered in loose fitting clothes - they seem to be the most vulnerable- still have a scar on my right arm from catching it on a radiator in a Spanish villa 7 years ago when on high doses of Pred!
The bed was quite close to it, and I just brushed my arm against it.....caused quite a panic in the family!
Thankyou! I’ll try Double Base cream. I hadn’t thought of using arnica cream, what a good idea.Think I’ll make sure my beds well away from everything next time we go away!
Never thought of arnica. Good job we have you!!Does our skin ever recover from all this do you know?
It does get better, but it thins anyway as you age. I still get some problems if I brush against something rough - like a external wall or garden fence - but nothing compared to “Pred” days!
That sounds encouraging. Thanks. Just need to get off Pred one day! 🤞
I'm afraid that I'm regarding it as the price that I'm paying for not being in unbearable pain. But, it sucks!
Sometimes it appears to be a really high price. But the pain was absolutely unbearable. So we have to pay the price.
Very normal sadly. I am now taking blood thinners as well which do the same....saw the dentist give me a strange look this morning, wonder what he was thinking!!
I just look like I have been in a fight and my legs look like I have been in a car accident. I probably need plastic surgery to improve them. I am not sure that people notice it as much as I do, so I have given up worrying.
Absolutely relate to that. I also take weeks to heal for even the slightest cut.Sometimes I don't remember hurting myself and then see that I look like I've been in a fight.
It’s horrible but at least we’re in good company! Never alone on here. Onward, forward😘
Both my hair & red bruises got a lot better as I gradually lowered the pred dose.
yep..easily bruised and skin tears. Arnica helps the bruises and calendula helps heal the skin tears. But no bruising now on 5mg. Nivea on arms and legs seems to have helped thinning skin.
Thanks, going to try Calendula. I wonder if I could make my own? now there’s a little challenge for me.
Excellent idea. If you succeed, think of the sense of achievement you'll have.
My “favourite” area for cuts is just below my elbow. I seem to catch my arms on doors, cupboards you name it. So very annoying & unattractive 😬 hey ho
Yes, bruises are typical with higher doses of prednisone. I found that covering them with Dermablend leg and body cover hides the bruises rather well. This product is available in the United States, but I’m not sure about the UK. However, it should be available online. Finding the right color can be challenging but it covers up to 16 hours. Just a little dab, a few pats around the bruise, and a quick swish of talcum powder to set it and you’re good to go. For men and women both. It’s not cheap, but it’s been worth it to me. As they say, out of sight, out of mind— especially true in this case. Good luck!
Just checked and it’s available at Amazon. Around £26Ordering some straight away.
I have really unsightly discolouration on my shins from past bruising and I’m off to Portugal on the 5th June 😎
Just sent off my antibody test so I will let everyone know the result ASAP.
And how you get on with the Dermablend! You can be our guineapig😁Have a great holiday.
Hi Mazeyq. I am new here but my partner is on blood thinners and bruises so easily. It’s so bad she is occasionally asked at medical appointments “are things alright at home”. Which on the one hand is great as they are checking for domestic violence situations and potentially offering help but on the other so embarrassing for her and me. I am convinced some people think I’m battering her. We have been quite open about it with friends and family and that takes the worry out of it but when it first started happening we were worried about it. Hope you find a solution that works for you soon.
PS. Yes to using the double base emollient as suggested by Dorest Lady but also note it is paraffin based so be careful around open flames eg gas hobs. And be particularly careful not to let it build up on your clothes There have been a few cases reported of it catching fire. There are warnings on it. I use this type of cream all the time as I have dry skin and love it as it works so well. No perfume or other things that could irritate my mild eczema either. But I am more aware and careful since I read about the fire risk. Hope it works for you.
Hi, I got the most horrendous purple/ black bruises on my legs when I was high dose pred, unfortunately I’ve now got brown patches on my legs that don’t go away, also lots of scars. I took to wearing leggings all the time, it really helped, plus I became much more cautious about my legs, at its height even my ankle boots causes severe bleeding when going for a walk. I stopped taking blood thinners in the end as it was so bad. They will improve as you reduce the pred.
Take care.
Xx
Thanks for that info. I’ve ordered some double base but interesting to know I could set myself on fire! Yes those bruises can be embarrassing, we’ve had strange looks too. Good luck to you both x
I’m on 8mg of Pred for PMR (18 months in from diagnosis; initial dose of 15mg) and 75mg aspirin for a heart condition (waiting for my turn for a stent to be fitted). A double whammy! I can bruise and my hands can bleed for the slightest of knocks, sometimes without me knowing. I reconcile that the benefits outweigh the effects.
After 10 years of pred. The lightest touch will cause bruising, takes time for the colour to return to normal. However if the touch causes the skin to tear, don't use normal elastoplast.
I highly recommend Tegaderm, which you can buy with or without a pad on Amazon. I use with pad, so you can put healing cream on. If the cover is firm, I can leave on for a day or two. Usually available at chemists, a lot cheaper online in packs of 50. I always carry one in case of a problem away from home as the skin on my hands and arms is very thin now.
That’s excellent advice thankyou
Interested to hear you been on Pred for 10 years. I’d be interested to know if many other people stay on Pred for so long. To me it seems PMR will never go away.
Thank you so very much to all the people who have shared their experience and advice. It comforts me to know that there are others in the same boat and that you are all coping with it okay one way or another.I’ll try to stop whingeing 🤫😉
I can sympathize with you as I have the same thing. After 5 years of dealing with it, I now just cover the worst of it when I go out in public. Bruise creams help some but not enough.Good luck
I can recommend Dermatuff.com. It really helps when you wear these socks and sleeves. Made with kevlar, the fiber that is bullet proof. I have many pairs, wash out, put on again and again. I would have been rushing to the ER for many stitches, if I hadn't been wearing them. They are a great company too. (You'd think I work for them, but I don't).
Thanks misspops. Will take a look at those. So good to know what works.
I have the same problem with bruising and tearing of the skin, I am 90 and so have thin skin due to age compounded by prednisolone since July 2019, I also take Apixiban as I have 5 stents fitted, as a result every slight knock results in a bruise even on my legs which get no protection from my trousers and especially on the back of my hands as a door handle is just the right height. Normally I just let the bruises gradually dissipate but if any of them also has a skin tear, usually a 'V' shaped one, I find that if you carefully pull the skin flap back in to position using tweezers or a clean tissue then cover with a plaster the skin will re-attach. For a plaster to use I can highly recommend a Hydrocolloid Dressing, these are easy to put on, are very thin and waterproof and the best is that you do not have to remove and replace them frequently. I have used them a number of times since I discovered them, they stay on when showering and are left in place until they come off naturally, this can be two or more weeks so the skin has time to repair itself and you do not have the chance of tearing it when trying to take the dressing off. I get these dressings from Morrisons but I am sure any chemist will also stock a similar product. Hope this information helps.
Thanks gordyb. That’s really useful information. It certainly helps to have something specific to look for in terms of dressings rather than trial and a lot of error!
Recently added blood thinners to pred and agree completely to all these comments. Always helps to know others have these problems as well. My biggest problem is bumping anything and not just bruising but bleeding without realizing it until I see blood on something else I’ve touched.
Hello MazeyqTry Moroccan Oil for your hair.
If you can get it in a pump action bottle try 2 pumps rubbed between both hands and draw your hands through newly washed- damp hair, not wet. Then comb through & dry as usual. It may take some time for you to notice the effect but persevere. All best wishes.
Thank you, I’ll try that x
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