Why Would President Trump Be Hiding Bruises on the Back of His Hands?

Throughout his time in politics, President Trump has worked hard to put forward the image of a strong man. This has been critical to his political success. Now in his late seventies, though, some are finally noticing signs that the president might not be as healthy as he once was.

Among the most notable are what appear to be bruises on the back of his hands, which he has worked hard to hide from cameras and the public. Because he is the president, though, cameras have occasionally caught the bruises, and as the video spread online, many naturally wondered what they might indicate. Here's what we know.

While it's impossible to say for sure what the bruising might indicate, the White House has frequently suggested that the bruising is caused by frequent handshaking. The White House physician Sean Barbabella even said that the bruising “is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen," per Forbes.

We also know that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older adults, but Barbabella added that there was "no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease.”

The bruising on his hands may or may not be connected to his chronic venous insufficiency, and we don't know for sure whether the stated cause, that it is the result of too many handshakes, is in fact the truth.

The handshakes are one possible explanation for the bruising, but it's also possible that the bruises are yet another sign of the president's advanced age. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, bruising on the back of the hand is often called actinic purpura, solar purpura, or Bateman's purpura, and is different from normal bruising that anyone might get.

The bruising is "due to the weakened state of blood vessel walls from many years of sun exposure. Blood thinners, including aspirin, coumadin, and alcohol all may worsen the condition. Steroids, either as a cream, pill, or inhaled for lung disease, can also bring the condition on."

Because Trump has worked to hide the bruises from cameras and the public, it's difficult to get the kind of detailed look at them that would be necessary to feel more confident in a diagnosis. His doctor has offered an explanation, but Trump's history of withholding or misleading information rightly makes some skeptical that he is telling the full truth about his bruising.

For now, though, it's difficult to say with any confidence what might be causing the bruising other than a handshake or a fairly common symptom of spending too much time in the sun or being old. Bruising could indicate any number of things, but diagnosing its actual cause from a distance is virtually impossible.