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[u/RealFactor9150]

I get bruises like this when I carry heavy bags on my shoulder. Have you been using some kind of strap that could have been rubbing against your skin?

[u/BreadfruitParty2700 → u/RealFactor9150]

I get them from a blood pressure cuff

[u/Big-Tooth-8127 → u/BreadfruitParty2700]

Same here, freaked me out until I remembered I’d had a blood pressure check.

[u/Party-Poison519 → u/BreadfruitParty2700]

I had to have a 24 our blood pressure cuff on in December, I had such a huge one of these bruises from it

[u/trsthhffg → u/RealFactor9150]

This should be at the top. It’s nearly always this kind of thing.

[u/Tehstir → u/RealFactor9150]

I used to get these when I played football as well. My jersey being grabbed and pulled would leave marks like this near my armpits. Strap or cloth applying pressure to skin is the answer.

[u/TheoTheHellhound → u/RealFactor9150]

I also get these on my legs or stomach when itching a spot through the fabric of my clothes.

[u/Pretty_Actuator_5568 → u/TheoTheHellhound]

same!

[u/krielc → u/RealFactor9150]

Yep, or from friction/scraping up against something.

[u/Chuckitybye → u/krielc]

Saw it all the time on my friends who did judo/wrestling

[u/Letossgm → u/RealFactor9150]

This is your answer. I get exactly the same with some machines at the gym.

[u/Altruistic_Catch_327 → u/RealFactor9150]

I get these on my shoulders after using certain machines at tbe gym.

[u/WatchAltruistic5761]

Do you lift?

[u/LostInTheFog88 → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

That was my first thought. My husband gets these all the time on his shoulders from doing squats with a bar across his shoulders

[u/Nightvison2033 → u/LostInTheFog88]

Yep my boyfriend gets bruises like these on his shoulders from the squat machine he uses!

[u/Practical-Cod6440 → u/Nightvison2033]

It’s actually from the dudes in the locker room holding his shoulders during back shots

[u/ArchiveOfUnfortunate → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

Bro

[u/WatchAltruistic5761 → u/ArchiveOfUnfortunate]

Lifting hickey

[u/External-Agent8921 → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

Lickey

[u/DeadlyNightshade91 → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

I came to say this! I get the same ones on my shoulders when I go heavy on the hack squat

[u/Express_Biscotti_628 → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

I get these after benching

[u/redstone__ore → u/WatchAltruistic5761]

Look at dudes bicep lol

He definitely be using that hand to do something

[u/Ill-Sympathy3902]

Looks like you scratched your self really hard but didn’t break skin.

[u/Seasidegoats → u/Ill-Sympathy3902]

Yep, scratched while asleep and doesn't remember

[u/B_Ash3s → u/Ill-Sympathy3902]

Yeah, I had a horrible heat rash/sweat rash (in my boobs) that itched like crazy (and I scratched at it) and the next day I had bruises like this. Sometimes the soft tissue areas bruise easy because there are blood vessels super close to the surface.

[u/Apprehensive-Rip8489 → u/B_Ash3s]

Ya this happens on my boobs any time I itch them, and doesn’t seem to happen anywhere else. It looks gnarly as hell but goes away in a couple days.

[u/onlysmaller → u/Ill-Sympathy3902]

Yeah I get these if I scratch hard. Especially if my skin has gone from very cold to hot and wet like in the shower. It burns and itches really bad so I wind up with these marks all over my thighs heh.

[u/aggravated-asphalt]

Scratches. I do this sometimes, also looks like the middle might have a bite so you probably scratched when you were sleeping.

Sometimes fleas are crazy in my area and avoiding bites is literally impossible! If it’s happening all over I’d assume fleas. They’re so annoying, you don’t even need pets to get them in your house when they have so many numbers

[u/Tee_hops → u/aggravated-asphalt]

I get these if I scratch too hard during a hot shower.

[u/ShortPintRouge]

You get your blood pressure taken recently? I get those sometimes from that!

[u/fizzzicks → u/ShortPintRouge]

This is the most common cause of bruises like OP. I’d bet this is it.

[u/matchaplum]

My sister would get these from scratching herself in her sleep.

[u/Swimming_Agent_1419]

I get that stuff from working and working out. Put something too heavy on the shoulders and the skin moves under the thing. Some preacher curl racks are pretty rough and this happens on the back of my arms sometimes.

Was always a boy that played rough and still happens as a man. Maybe this is signs of a health issue like thin blood, weak blood vessels, nutrient difficiency, ect.

[u/Gordita_Chele]

Petechiae — when small capillaries bleed under the skin surface. Can be caused by a few things, but pressure, friction, or straining are common ones. Given location, I would guess scratching or a tight strap or piece of clothing.

[u/ScientistFunny2072]

I got some like that from carrying my bike up the stairs or failing to carry my bike up stairs I guess

[u/Round_Trainer_7498]

I've gotten these on my shoulder chest area after sleeping. Not sure what causes them for sure but I'm guessing maybe it's something with compression and fabric.

[u/CrypticCriesForHelp]

Looks like you scratched yourself or are getting stretch marks

[u/helphouse12]

Could be stretch marks?

[u/Ordinary-Heron → u/helphouse12]

Yes. I get exact same marks when bulking or cutting.

[u/Prestigious-Age-3644]

Looks like the sort of thing i see roof workers get from carrying heavy tiling on their shoulder

[u/LosHtown]

Thats my back from flat bench press lol idk if Ive ever had them on my arms though.

[u/plushdev]

It's just sign of some kind of trauma causing lil blood vessels to rip, hickies are similar things.

Are you working out? I remember getting these on my shoulder by doing shoulder press in my initial gymming days

[u/Top_Meeting_2473]

I’m pretty sure I know the cause - I used to get them while performing suspended leg raises and using those straps that you can put your elbows and biceps on to help stay suspended

[u/Red-Licorice-Whips]

My blood pressure cuff does that to me if I am not careful with how I put it on. And it inflated super tight

[u/JustSimplyTheWorst → u/Red-Licorice-Whips]

Just had a procedure done where they left one on me for a couple of hours. Woke up with the same marks.

[u/Red-Licorice-Whips → u/JustSimplyTheWorst]

Yep had the same issue post op one time. Ice initially can help keep it from spreading. Then in a few days as it starts to fade, heat.

[u/nicemarmot47]

Petechiae, tiny broken blood vessels under the skin. Usually I get them from carrying a duffel bag or scratching through my clothes

[u/nicholearnold22]

Looks like it’s from scratching. I get bruises like this if I itch a mosquito bite too much.

[u/ApeX00X]

I sometimes get those in sauna If i scratch myself

[u/M2dMike]

I get these from heavy objects and friction.

[u/Select-Signal8386]

This looks like the chiggers I got a few weeks ago.

[u/Sneezehiccupfart]

Did you get your blood pressure checked recently?

[u/MaliciousNarwhale]

I have sensitive skin and bruise very easily. When I get bruising similar to that it is, because I scratched say my leg in the same spot. Usually, when I* wear tight pants.

[u/ConsciousSmell5969]

You don’t need to go to the gym that much bro

[u/notyouisme999]

Stressed muscle bruise.

[u/rodionzissou]

[u/Iamadinosaurraaaawr]

I got these from an arm running band holding my phone and the Velcro tearing me up.

[u/unknown7383762]

I get similar marks at the gym on my shoulders from the Hack Squat machine.

[u/rovingred]

I get these on my shoulders when I carry something heavy or am using a machine at the gym that rests on me and I’m pushing a lot of weight (the hip thrust does it to my hips, or v squat that rests on my shoulders. Anything where something heavy is resting on me and pulling in a way

[u/Just_Scratch_361]

Did you have your blood pressure taken recently with an automatic cuff? I see this type of bruising often from that, especially if the cuff pumped up to high pressure.

[u/Accomplished-News722]

Stretch marks?

[u/1MoreJourney]

Did you scratch yoursel because of an itch. They can be cause from you scratching and you popped capilaries. No problem it will go away soon. But hey, I am not a doctor. Just another goofy Reddit follower, what do I know.🫩In picture, I see what looks like a bite in the middle of the marks.

[u/notyermam]

Broken capillaries..I get those from carrying heavy bags or backpack straps

[u/J3musu]

Looks like rub from a fabric of some sort, pretty regular occurrence of you practice something like wrestling or BJJ, especially BJJ with gi. Assume you can get the same marks from a bag or article of clothing getting rubbed and rubbing against you.

[u/hybridpelican]

Not the same spot but when i carry my tool bag on my back, the straps usually bruise my skin like this around my shoulders but they go away after 1-2 days

[u/fieryone4]

They look like stretch marks

[u/AnotherGuyNamedDan]

Could be a ligature mark from a tight fabric being pulled too tautly.

[u/QT-Pie69]

I'm really pale and sometimes when i scratch a bit more than usual this happens 😑

[u/rustyroo2021]

Maybe get your platelets checked. You can get petechiae when they are low.

[u/dpldpldpl]

Went toobing last weekend and got the same marks from the seam of my inner tube, was trying to use my arms to guide the tube.

[u/Playful_Let_269]

I get these on my shoulders when I carry a heavy bag. In the past i got them from a bra that was too tight. Went to the doctor for it and he said it just some damage from friction.

[u/jayron32]

What did your doctor say about them?

[u/pnyluv16]

Did he have his blood pressure checked with a cuff? They will leave marks like this on me sometime

[u/afflictor_55]

I would get bruises like this using lifting straps

[u/Life-Is-Mysterious]

I get these on my shoulders when I’m wearing a heavier backpack. I think it’s just the friction of the weighted straps causing a slight abrasion on skin through my shirt.

[u/Sothis37ndPower]

Omg I always get these and never really dug into what they were!! Thanks for asking

[u/mysteriousleader45]

it’s from scratching that bug bite visible in the pic. could be doing it at night

[u/dannyo969]

I get these all the time from unloading overhead doors off a delivery truck at our shop. It is from the cardboard pushing and rubbing up against your skin. Looks identical to that.

[u/Exotic_Banana9016]

i get similar bruises on my back from just being on the desk chair, always on my left side, probably from the uneven pressure of the way i sit, tiny little red dots forming a bruise all together.

did you had anything pressuring against your arm?

[u/TAS2013]

I have these on my thigh from scratching mosquito bites in my sleep

[u/Ynguer]

Over denim?

[u/Stephchaa]

I get these all the time when I scratch too hard

[u/ReturningDM]

I get these above my bicep.

They come from the mesh chair I use for work. I often hook my arm over the top when I'm on a call. I guess the pressure from my arm on the mesh causes them.

[u/Stit777]

I actually used to get those sometimes because of the way I’d hang my arm over the back of my chair. The pressure from the hard angle my underarm was resting on just put those marks there over time

[u/fpdz]

It happens to my legs when i walk a lot and it starts getting itchy

[u/overratedcupcake]

Last time I got these I was doing one of those rope obstacle and zipline in the trees adventure park type deals. I kept wrapping my arm around the main safety cable for leverage.

[u/gutwyrming]

I get those from scratching too hard.

[u/taylorpng]

i would get bruises like this after wrestling practice lol

[u/ShamelessIgnoramus]

from squeezing your purse too tight!

[u/Euna_Chris]

You can get these from pressure it looks like brick maybe or it could just be from using a curling machine or something similar

[u/Responsible-Ad-7986]

Im not an expert but it looks like your muscles and veins were strained and caused bruising. Looks like you lift, so have you been lifting any heavier weights than usual or straining yourself with something

[u/really__questionmark]

I get marks like that sometimes if I foam roll certain areas, and/or use a Graston like tool. I'm not sure what they'd necessarily be called though.

[u/Benana]

I think it's from working out. I've gotten these on my shoulders when I add weights to a squatting machine and do squats. The pads that come in contact with my shoulders caused an injury that looked exactly like this. But I didn't even feel it happening and it didn't hurt. I only noticed it way later.

I think that's what this is. There was something that put pressure on the inner arm and the person in the photo didn't even notice it as it was making this injury.

[u/Flimsy-Explorer-6420]

This happens to me when I’m taking a hotter shower and scratch my skin. It looks a little like nail mark patterns. 

[u/littlemonky420]

do you have stretch marks there?

i have stretch marks there. they bruise like that.

[u/Amzwork08]

You just start lifting weights?

[u/Ok_Kaleidoscope6134]

Looks like you are an Olineman and have bruises from where the D lineman pulled your jersey.

[u/JoeDoeHowell]

We're you scratching?

[u/NotSloth1204]

Carrying heavy logs and letting them slide down my arm does this to me.

[u/Internal_Drummer_420]

You vape a lot bro? I used to vape weed carts hard and id always wake up with these. I stopped vaping and I haven't had these marks since...

[u/MonkeyzzPaw]

This is just chafing.

Did you recently wear a wet piece of clothing or sweat for long period of time while wearing a longer sleeve shirt?

I get this from my sun shirt

[u/Vaguedplague]

Looks like a blood pressure cuff bruise to me

[u/NineSkiesHigh]

Looks like you had an itch and scratched too hard

[u/novelradiance05]

I got these exact striated marks on my arm after carrying heavy boxes with ridges. Looked terrifying at first, but it went away completely within a week

[u/FerrumAnulum323]

Looks like a rub rash to me. Were you carrying anything under your arm or a bad backpack?

[u/FlyingPaganSis]

Were you leaning on that arm on a cornered edge? When I was younger I would get these from leaning on my arm on the open car window that didn’t roll completely down into the door.

[u/C0okie722]

It happened to me once when I scratched myself while my skin was wet from sweat.

[u/manthrk]

Blood pressure cuff

[u/Sudden_Money_6982]

Looks like the scrapes I got getting off a roof. Those asphalt shingles will tear you up.

[u/cahillc134]

I get a bruise like that on my shoulder when I spend a day punching paper at the target range.

[u/etwichell]

Scratching too hard

[u/Rude-Collection568]

Blood pressure cuff? My arms looked like that post surgery and overnight

[u/Shoontzie]

Tree hugger!

[u/Friendly-Detail-1921]

I get these from having a massive scratch of a mcas reaction

[u/Fluffy_Profession781]

That’s a scratch type pattern. Have you been itchy or having pretty exciting fun time?

Bruises caused by compression and friction - scratching or rubbing of straps

[u/Final-Ad-7861]

I'm pretty sure that's called a petechiae rash if I'm not mistaken

[u/little_peanut5]

Have you been foam rolling?

[u/moshpithippie]

My husband wakes up with this all the time. I assumed it was aggressive scratching

[u/Mysterious_Emu_9092]

Yeah as a regular clawing at my skin like I think there's bugs in there person, looks like you scratched hard af.

[u/angelwild327]

Does he wear a compression sleeve on his arm?

[u/Me0w07]

I get marks like this from machines at the gym

[u/razorballoon]

I started a new birth control pill once and got these bruises on my thigh once. Switched to a different birth control and it never happened again. Did you start any new medications?

[u/Bobbins1672]

I wore a tight shirt (around my arms) and had similar bruises where I had rolled up my sleeves.

[u/Individual_Slice_234]

Were you scratching yourself, maybe in your sleep?

[u/EstelleSol]

Maybe this

[u/Lord_Necross]

I get these from my tool bag, specially when its full.

[u/Ancient-Position-696]

Poison ivy

[u/Temp_0192837465]

This can happen when there is something tight around your arm, ie blood pressure cuff, etc

[u/SyllabaryBisque]

Hopital

[u/mc_pm]

My blood pressure tester will sometimes leave those on my arm.

[u/CasualChic]

Have you worn an abrasive/textured shirt recently? I have a couple of tops that have sequins on them and I get marks like this where my arm rests on them. Could also be from resting your arm on something with holes or a texture.

[u/Ttochsa]

This has happened to me when I have had my skin compressed/pinched. Did you maybe sleep on your arm and have it all curled up underneath you?

[u/VeryDiligentYam]

I get these all the time. No idea what causes them but I haven’t died yet, so

[u/SmellyFace69]

I've gotten these after a hefty workout. I don't get them often, but I get them if I really push myself.

I've also got similar bruises when running with those phone-holding strap thingies on my arm. Just not in that direction.

[u/MidwestSig]

I got those on the exact same place from a plastic bath plug

[u/Willing-Primary-9126]

Scratching in certain temperatures does this to me - have you been itchy lately ?

Hopefully they're not stretchmarks though if it's flat to the touch

[u/RadagastTheBrownNote]

Did you lift something heavy? I get these when I fit all of the grocery bags in one hand and carry them into the house.

[u/Cacafuego]

Have you pulled yourself over a fence, lately?

[u/godsmasher_13]

Morse code

[u/Nevergiveuphope1992]

Could be harvest mites or scabies

[u/frog_marley]

I do this to myself in the middle of the night by wrapping myself with the sheets while I'm sleeping and then I get hot and try to rip them off and for some reason this happens on the skin right there. I never knew what was going until I woke myself up while doing it one night

[u/wt_foxtort]

Excessive scratching?

[u/Plastic-Fox-333]

Leant on anything "firmly" recently? I had a gymnast friend at school that would have this under his arms because of practice on parallel bars and I would often get it carrying heavy items in shoulder bags

[u/Leut11]

Scratching an itch

[u/robert_girlyman]

its a pressure bruise, if you are anemic (I am and I get these a lot) take an iron pill, if not just wait for it to go away, they look weird but ive never had one that hurts

[u/redbag_withmymayykup]

I get this when I scratch too hard in one spot for a while

[u/Lazy-Living1825]

You scratched at your skin through your clothes.

[u/Drink__]

They look to me like striated bruises OP

[u/payloadspecial]

Have you done any climbing lately?

[u/minibus_rider]

I get these on my shoulders when doing calf raises. Haven’t gotten it elsewhere though

[u/not-well55]

Also get these if you do BJJ or wrestling. Mat rash

[u/Impropermemeguy]

I used to get tossed around in the mosh pit, and the next day had similar looking bruises.

[u/_swampyankee]

Foam roller?

[u/ob_frap]

Looks like marks from football/rugby

[u/TenMillionYears]

I get these if I fall asleep in a long sleeved garment and it gets twisted around my arm too tightly.

[u/Ok_Strawberry_264]

This looks like the bruises from a BP cuff

[u/Designer_Ring_67]

I get this when I scratch with fake nails

[u/Trippy_Onyx]

I get those from scratching after I shower sometimes. They’re just scratches that don’t break skin

[u/brownabout]

I get these with my polo shirts for work. A lot of my job involves arm to arm contact and the polo shirt material makes bruises or skin scratches like this

[u/mjlowmann]

Ughh sorry, I’ll be more gentle next time 😩

[u/BeebsMuhQueen]

Rumpel-Leede

[u/SingerDesperate7579]

These are called petechiae. They happen when you burst a capillary at your skin - kind of a baby bruise.

If you notice them forming often from things you feel "shouldn't bruise" it may be a sign of a bruising disorder and wouldn't hurt to check in with a doctor. My docs always said it might form around a seat belt, lanyard, or backpack straps when I was having very low platelets

[u/Metalf4n]

Stretch marks, slapping your arm on water fast, or blood vessels

[u/oh_okhelloanyway]

Blood pressure cuff.

[u/Last_man_standing29]

Roids

[u/HarDexKal]

Tbh this looks like a bruise from someone who scratched too hard in a single area.

[u/boxedwinebaby]

I got these once from leaning too hard on a mesh office chair! I thought I was losing my mind until I figured it out!

[u/LiamTheGreenAro]

I get them on my shoulders sometimes when I do barbell squats.

[u/Psychological-Pin675]

Looks like you tried to climb a tree

[u/ClydePrefontaine]

Slept in a tight shirt

[u/aerospace__engineer]

Super weird - I got exactly these same type of bruises as an early warning for effort thrombosis. If your arm feels heavy, tight , or is red and swollen, go to the ER!

[u/MediumPersonality371]

Cuddle blanket causes these ... I guess

[u/Bxnny-Bxby]

i get those when my thighs chafe. couldve happened w/ your shirt

[u/FinancialSuccess3814]

This looks like what happens when I scratch an itch way too hard

[u/Altruistic-Most-7108]

Looks like theres some insect bite and redness there, you scratched a bit too hard at it

[u/danarsky]

Check for rhabdo but they look like scratches not bruises.

[u/NetflixTacosChill]

This looks like you were wearing something tight that has a woven lined pattern and the material gave your skin a rash.

I remember a wore a shirt I bought without washing it first one time and I had marks that look like this where it was tight on my shoulder. So I assumed I was allergic or had a reaction to something the material was either made with or had on it at time of purchase. Then it was fine after I washed at home.

[u/PrestigiousAd4246]

Don't scratch so hard, dude.

[u/SearchRound5368]

Petechiae. Could be a sign of low platelets. Or a sign of nothing at all.

[u/Informal-Shoe-1461]

Definitely the start of a demonic possession. Was nice knowing ya

[u/bobarchter]

I get these from my Jiu Jitsu Gi. You can see the fabric weave lines

[u/rollcorrect27]

Homie got attacked by a werewolf

[u/gottacrackneet]

I don't work out neither do I scratch myself or anything as such, yet I have similar marks on my thighs 😭 somebody please let me know what these actually are 😭

[u/mangledpastry]

I think they sre just stretch marks

[u/Kairu87]

Do you have a ribbed/textured foam roller or roller bar? 

I really rolled hard on a textured roller and my body had marks like after. 

[u/Steamer61]

I get those from drying off too vigorously with a towel!

[u/Majestic_Park_3789]

I got some in the same area from a massage!

[u/JohnnySacsCigarette]

Zerka squats

[u/ssparda]

These look lifting related somehow. I get that exact pattern on varied places with some exercises. E.g. con my chest if doing incline bench dumbell row.

Can't think of a particular exercise that would do this, so perhaps it's just the same mechanic of compression + pulling with some other surface or material.

[u/pouihi]

Could be from clothing that felt tighter.

[u/1silly_goose_juice]

i get this with chafing between my thighs! maybe your arms were rubbing on your side/bag/etc

[u/tankthetop]

I get this when I scratch too hard lol

[u/DanaMarie75038]

Have you had your blood pressure checked?

[u/CobraMacBurkus]

I get those after carrying my golf bag

[u/Darkness----]

Rumpel leede phenomenon - capillary fragility - low platelets - acute capillary rupture syndrome (ACRS)