Dear Dr. Hibberd: I have blood spots on my hands occasionally, but all of my tests are normal. I'm 63 years old and weigh about 173 pounds, and I smoke.


Answer:
Minor broken capillaries on our hands commonly leave darkened spots that clear on their own. These are very common and are caused by trauma to skin that has lost much of its dermal fat support, and has less elasticity and stretch due to aging. Their presence is not usually associated with disease, but check with your doctor just to be sure.

Please stop smoking. Smoking prematurely ages skin and is a major cause of much discomfort, disability, disease, and premature death.