Solar purpura

We've got a listener.

Her name is Beverly, who wrote in asking about a condition called actinic purpura.

Now, Beverly, thanks again for sending this in because I promise you, you are far from alone in dealing with this and having questions about it.

So let's go ahead and back up for a second and explain what actinic purpura actually is.

And that's spelled A-C-T-I-N-I-C purpura, P-U-R-P-U-R-A.

And for everyone listening who has never heard the term before, but may be very well looking at their own arms right now about it.

Actinic purpura shows up as those purple, sometimes almost bruise-like patches, typically on the forearms and the backs of hands that seem to appear out of nowhere or from the slightest little bump against, say, a door frame or any piece of furniture.

So if you've ever thought to yourself, I don't even remember hitting anything.