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Senile purpura: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
 
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Senile purpura results in ecchymosis and is the result of increased vascular fragility due to damage to the connective tissue of the skin caused by chronic sun exposure and age.

Senile purpura affects older patients who develop dark purple ecchymoses, typically localized on the outer surface of the palms and forearms. New lesions appear without prior trauma and then disappear within a few days, leaving a brown pigmentation caused by hemosiderin deposition that may resolve within weeks or months. The skin and subcutaneous tissue in the affected area are often thinned and atrophic. Treatment does not hasten the resolution of the lesions and is generally unnecessary. Although the disease causes some cosmetic discomfort, it is not accompanied by serious consequences.

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