Thin skin that bruises and tears easily is a problem that can crop up due to genetics, aging, exposure to sun or even as a side effect of certain medications and conditions. Most of the time, the problem is more annoying than health threatening, with frequent cuts, tears and bruises. Here are a few things you can do at home to minimize thin skin damage and help thin skin regenerate.
Eliminate Medical Conditions
Before trying the home cure salve, be aware that certain medications and medical conditions can weaken your skin and cause bleeding and damage to skin blood vessels. Medications that can cause problems include corticosteroid creams, some breathing medications like Prednisone, arthritis medications like Kenalog, and blood thinners like Plavix and Pletal. Medical conditions such as Ehlers-Danios syndrome, amyloidosis and Cushing syndrome can also weaken skin. Consult your doctor for any questions.
Minimize Damage
It may seem obvious, but the best way to protect easily damaged thin skin is though your choice of clothing. Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, and protect the skin from sun damage with sunscreen and wearing broad-rimmed hats. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight break down elastin and collegen in your skin, causing it to lose elasticity. Cuts and bruises to thin skin can take a long time to heal so prevention is an important strategy for reducing skin damage.
Improve Skin Condition
To strengthen weak skin, supplement your diet with fish oil, as well as flax or borage seed oil. These natural oils have been shown to help keep skin hydrated and strengthen collagen. Vitamins known to help improve skin tone include Vitamin C (an anti-oxidant) and Vitamin E (an anti-inflmmatory).
Home Cure Camellia Oil Salve
A 100 percent organic moisturizer and revitalizer can be made by mixing pure Camellia seed oil with a few other oils to create a salve. Camellia seed oil is derived by pressing the seeds of camillia flowers. Mix 1 teaspoon Camellia seed oil, 1 teaspoon Evening Primrose Oil, one quarter teaspoon Vitamin E oil and 3 drops lavender essential oil in a small bottle. Blend by shaking before use. Massage a few drops onto thin skin daily to help build it up and thicken. Keep refrigerated once blended.
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Writer Bio
David Pepper is a Los Angeles-based writer, teacher and filmmaker. He has been writing since 1990. His publication credits include articles for the "Los Angeles" and "New York Times," fiction for journals like "Ends Meet" and "Zyzzyva," and a computer book for Prentice Hall. Pepper holds a Master of Arts in English literature from the University of Pittsburgh.