On darker skin tones, you may not notice redness at the time of injury. Instead, you may feel a bump under your skin and it may be tender. As the bruise develops, the skin over your bruise may look dark brown or black. In general, people with darker skin and hair will have darker-colored bruises.
- Excessive drinking may also lead to an alcoholic blackout, a condition reached when the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is over 0.16%.
- Ensuring that you do not drink at this level could be a wise way to limit your risk of unusual bruising.
- When alcohol impairs liver function, it decreases these proteins, increasing the likelihood of bruises after drinking alcohol.
- It can also relax the muscles leading towards your stomach, increasing the likelihood of leaking stomach acid.
Bruising Easily Causes, Reasons, Meaning, Diagnosis and Treatment
And yes, you may feel great and energized upon waking up—but that doesn’t mean you didn’t have too much to drink the night before. The bruises themselves aren’t dangerous, but the reason that causes them is. According to a 2021 study, the cerebellum is one of the most vulnerable areas that alcohol can directly affect, leading to difficulty in maintaining balance. A graduate of Texas Tech University and the University of Cincinnati, Trent is fervently dedicated to providing evidence-based, compassionate care to those battling addiction.
You need to do this within the first 24 hours after you see the bruises on your legs. The bruising of legs can be due to injuries, underlying diseases, and certain lifestyle factors. Have you ever woke up in the morning with unexplained bruises on your legs?
Q8: Does alcohol affect the body’s ability to heal bruises?
Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you every time you have a drink. Losing valuable fluid and nutrients from your body can lead to wrinkled, dry, puffy or just generally unhealthy-looking skin. Severe alcohol consumption can impair the immune system, which can leave a person at greater risk of infections and skin sores (abscesses). As alcohol dries the skin, our natural defence against pathogens, this can also lead to repeated skin infections. Read on to learn more about what can cause unexplained bruising on the legs as well as when you should see your doctor. It can be alarming to see unexplained bruises on your legs or your child’s legs, particularly if you don’t recall an incident that could’ve caused them.
Does Caffeine Affect the Alcohol Detox Process and Recovery?
About 47% of people with cirrhosis develop hyperpigmentation, resulting in gray blotches that appear on your shins and the tops of your feet. It’s similar to spider angiomas and may be caused by bleeding into your skin, which can occur with cirrhosis. About 33% of people with cirrhosis develop these painless lesions. If a serious injury caused the bruises or bleeding, it would be wise to schedule a prompt trip to the emergency room. It’s possible to spot a bruised area that’s purple on the elderly. These types of bruises may be caused by actinic purpura or senile purpura.
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Genetics can play a role in an individual’s propensity to bruise, but alcohol consumption can exacerbate bruising regardless of genetic factors. Over time, the damage done can lead to alcoholic neuropathy, where the peripheral nerves in your limbs have been badly damaged by alcohol. They may lose feelings of hunger Sober living house or no longer have a desire for food, as their focus shifts to alcohol. Alternatively, they may crave high-fat foods as alcohol produces the hunger-increasing hormone, ghrelin. In addition, some alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, are high in calories, so regular consumption of these drinks can lead to weight gain.
Can a Bruise Cause a Blood Clot?
The combination can worsen the symptoms and raise the probability of bruising or other types of injury. Keeping yourself hydrated is critical to avoid and stop bruising from alcohol. Alcohol intake may cause dehydration, which can compromise your skin’s health and make it more sensitive to bruising and other can alcohol cause bruising on legs possible injuries. Staying hydrated when drinking alcohol might help you avoid unpleasant side effects like bruising.
- Furthermore, if alcohol bruises are a result of liver damage, you likely have alcoholic liver disease, which causes severe dysfunction in the liver.
- A chronically damaged liver may not produce the proteins required for coagulation.
- Sepsis is more common in infants and people with weakened immune systems.
- This is swelling and tenderness where your toe bones connect on the bottom of your foot.
Bruising easily can be a sign of alcoholism, but it can also be caused by other factors, such as vitamin deficiencies or underlying health conditions. But if you bruise more easily all the time after chronic heavy drinking, it may be a sign of significant health concern. Drinking excessively not only takes its toll on your skin’s appearance, but it can also worsen pre-existing skin conditions and leave you vulnerable to skin problems. Recognizing the signs of alcohol skin problems early on allows you to address your drinking habits before you cause irreversible harm to your body. Alcoholics may get easily bruised due to a combination of factors.
Types of Blood Clots
While most bruises are harmless and resolve on their own within a few weeks, certain characteristics or accompanying symptoms warrant medical attention. At 65 years of age, it is likely that the natural ageing process is taking toil on your skin leading to the bruising. It could also be the result of long time exposure to sun’s UV radiation, especially if you have been engaging in an outdoor occupation and/or activities.
Diabetes can disrupt the circulation, making it easier for your skin to bruise. You may also notice brown or black patches appearing in areas where the skin folds or creases. Hyper-pigmentation may also appear in areas where you inject your insulin.
The unsightly bruises on your legs can appear for many of the reasons listed below. A doctor might suggest draining it with a medical procedure if a large hematoma persists for several days after an injury. While both involve blood gathering under the skin, a hematoma typically involves more pooling blood and causes a swollen lump, while bruises are flatter. Becky Upham has worked throughout the health and wellness world for over 25 years. She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine and completed a residency at Maine Medical Center.