what causes bruises on skin
Contusions are common types of bruises that are caused by trauma, often blunt-force injury, that damages and breaks open the tiny blood vessels in the tissues of the skin, mucus membranes or other organs. Contusions are often accompanied by pain and swelling due to the bodyâs inflammatory response to injury.
1 These changes, along with skin damage from exposure to the sun, cause blood vessels to break easily. When blood vessels break, bruising occurs. 2  Women bruise more easily than men, especially from minor injuries on the thighs, buttocks, and upper arms.  A tendency to bruise easily sometimes runs in families.