Red marks on forearm

www.skinsight.com/searchResults/adult_Female_Arm.htm
This might help.

Crafty Do you take any blood thinners? I get bruises but never remember doing it and my doctor said it was because I am on aspirin. Apparently it causes bruising easier than it normally would. I sometimes look like I've been in a bout with Amir Khan but no, just probably catching myself slightly and not knowing.

Crafty, I think I'd want to show my GP something that unusual. S/he would probably be able to tell if they needed investigating and so you could stop wondering about them. Sometimes reassurance is all that's needed from one's GP but it's worth having. I once had a small, discoloured lump on my arm that didn't seem to want to go away. Saw a locum about it and he thought it was the site of a tick bite. I get dozens of tick bites and that's the only one, if tick bite site it was, that has ever looked like that. It did disappear eventually but it took ages.

I do that too, ruby —find bruises and realise I've no idea how I got them. I do biff things quite a lot during my daily activities so I presume the bruises are from small bumps. They heal up fine so I've never worried about them.

Excellent link Shysal, thanks

I've been taking steroids, in tapering dosage, for five years. These have caused thinning of the skin, especially on my arms and any small bump would show up as a red blotch - a capillary bruise. Now that my dosage is much reduced, these blotches have gone away- permanently, I hope. This condition is known as purpura,

Sounds like bruising my husband has had recently, as you said, they come and go yet no memory of how the occur. He went to the surgery and was told it was senile bruising, forget medical name, which is harmless, nothing to worry about. think he was told it happens as skin gets thinner.

I had a couple of insect bites recently that bruised - never had that before. DH has a red blotchy area at the top of his arm. He mentioned it to the doctor a while ago when he was there for something else, and he never even remarked on it, but it doesn't seem to want to go away.

I take no meds apart from a low dose of Thyroxin which I have taken for years.
I think they may be something called Bateman's Purpurea- may have spelt that wrong.I found this online. I KNOW- always dangerous but they are harmless & caused by old age- I'm only 65!! -when skin thins.
Also by alcohol- well I like a glass of wine or 2 & sun damage- ah!! I am solar powered so have always sunbathed but use protection now ( unlike when I was a child & Mum used to put Olive Oil on us & send us out all day!)
I'm not too worried now so will just mention it next time I have to go to doctor.They have all gone now but I expect more will turn up again soon.
Thank you all for comments.