Thin Skin

[LDJofDenver]

I not only bruise easily, but the skin on my forearms seems very fragile. (I'm mid-50s, not mid 70s!)

I barely bump anything and instead of bruising, I get these (I don't know what they're called...) hematomas -blood blisters? - instead of bruises. Bubble of blood wells up under my skin at the point of contact - skin doesn't even have to break.

My doctor did test me for Vitamin K deficiency, following my diagnosis for Celiac Disease, but it came back normal (PT was 9.1 seconds, INR 0.9 ?). I'm guessing, then, that it must be the skin itself and maybe the layers and/or subcutaneous fat that has thinned/deteriorated.

Anyone else experienced this? Or responded to vitamin A creams or anything?

[mushroom]

I not only bruise easily, but the skin on my forearms seems very fragile. (I'm mid-50s, not mid 70s!)

I barely bump anything and instead of bruising, I get these (I don't know what they're called...) hematomas -blood blisters? - instead of bruises. Bubble of blood wells up under my skin at the point of contact - skin doesn't even have to break.

My doctor did test me for Vitamin K deficiency, following my diagnosis for Celiac Disease, but it came back normal (PT was 9.1 seconds, INR 0.9 ?). I'm guessing, then, that it must be the skin itself and maybe the layers and/or subcutaneous fat that has thinned/deteriorated.

Anyone else experienced this? Or responded to vitamin A creams or anything?

Sounds like you are describing me. I am mid-60's and my skin is so tissue-paper thin I feel that some day it might not even be able to hold me together I constantly have these red raspberries on my hands and arms--most of the time I don't even know how I got them. Mine started while I was taking Plaquenil for my psoriatic arthritis, and this med is known to aggravate skin conditions, but this is ridiculous. No medical practitioner seems to have any advice as to what to do about it. I asked my dermatologist about a cream I saw advertised, and he said "don't waste your money."

The other very annoying part about it is, if I catch the skin on a sharp edge it just peels back from my arm in a thin sheet. I can usually pull it back and get it to stick and reattach; most of the time I don't even go to the doc's office any more, just take care of it myself. I have a huge stock of big dressings to put over them.

Sorry I don't have any answers for you.

[MaryJones2]

My father was the same way. His skin was SO thin and he always had bandaids and bruises on his arms. My skin also feels very thin and I bruise too easily when I am glutened. I am sure gluten is related somehow because it only happens in the weeks right after I am exposed to gluten. Once I feel better my skins seems to thicken up and my bruises go away.

[LDJofDenver]

My skin also feels very thin and I bruise too easily when I am glutened. I am sure gluten is related somehow because it only happens in the weeks right after I am exposed to gluten. Once I feel better my skins seems to thicken up and my bruises go away.

Well, hopefully it will improve, now that I am gluten free. I just wondered if others experienced it due to gluten intolerance.

I have seen it on folks in their 70s, my Mom is 78 and she has things like that, but I'm more than 20 years younger than that and it began in late 40s. My former Doctor told me to eat blueberries (that's helpful isn't it?) -- that's the same doctor that failed to connect pins & needles sensations, continual gut and bowel problems, queasy all the time, hungry right after eating, headaches and migraines, low triglycerides, osteopenia, fatigue, sores inside mouth, allergies, including rashes that I just got on my knees (he asked me what I was kneeling down on)

-- all that and the fact that I had shingles 3 times in less than 2 years (was the body just screaming IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEM HERE?).

Oh well, now I know what is going on and it all makes sense. I can begin to heal.

[Yellow Rose]

I was getting those raspberries all the time and my Dr. put me on Vit D 50000 ut once every two weeks and Folic Acid 1mg twice a day and Vit C 500mg once a day and they have dissappeared. My brusies are finally going away as well and my skin is not peeling at the slightest bump and is thickening up. I have been taking them for 3 months now.

[mushroom]

I was getting those raspberries all the time and my Dr. put me on Vit D 50000 ut once every two weeks and Folic Acid 1mg twice a day and Vit C 500mg once a day and they have dissappeared. My brusies are finally going away as well and my skin is not peeling at the slightest bump and is thickening up. I have been taking them for 3 months now.

Wow, that is amazing!! I will take this info to my doc when I get back home.

[Generic]

When the skin just peels back, it is called a skin tear. This is very common with older people that are in nursing homes. My mom was a nurse and worked in the homes for years. She said the skin tears started showing up after the homes started switching to all that pre-fabbed garbage they like to call food. (Just add water, etc.)

She believes it is from poor nutriotion and/or all the preservatives in the "food".