Which of the following is NOT a variable affecting bruising aging?

• A. Age
• B. Gender
• C. Depth of injury
• D. Hair color

Answer: (D)

Bruising aging is driven by factors that affect how a bruise forms and how it heals. Age matters because aging skin is thinner and blood vessels are more fragile, so bruises can form more easily and fade more slowly. The depth of injury matters since deeper damage releases more blood into tissues, leading to larger, longer-lasting bruises. Gender can influence bruising through hormonal effects on vessel integrity and healing, adding variation in how bruises develop and disappear. Hair color, however, does not change skin structure, vessel fragility, or the healing process, so it does not affect how bruises age. Therefore, hair color is not a variable affecting bruising aging.