Dear Dr. Gott: I am a 64-year-old male in reasonably good health for the life I have lived. But in the last five weeks or so, I have had three baseball-sized bruises on my thighs, midway up, for no apparent reason. The first was on the outside of my right thigh, and about two weeks later, one appeared on the inside of my left thigh. Now I have one on the inside of my right thigh. Do you have any idea as to the cause?

Reply: Bruising is generally the result of injury – even minor trauma, such as hoisting a heavy box and resting it on your thighs. The process doesn't appear to cause damage, yet it can be extreme enough for blood to clot beneath the surface of the skin and result in a bruise. Aspirin, Advil, naproxen, Motrin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories can also cause contusions, as can physician-prescribed corticosteroids and prednisone. Recap your activity prior to the first bruising. Did you lean into a porch railing, over the hood of a car to work on it or carry debris from your basement up a set of stairs? If so, you may have a harmless cause you can identify.

If you are on new medication, ask your physician whether it carries a side effect of bruising. If not and your bruising is spontaneous, speak with him or her about getting a blood workup. In this way, disorders such as von Willebrand's disease and haemophilia can be ruled out. These hereditary disorders are marked by slow blood clotting that can result in nosebleeds, excessive bleeding of the gums and more. Another possibility is the aging process. As we get older, our bodies take longer to heal, from even minor injuries.We also tend to have thinner skin, which causes what were once trivial bumps and scrapes to turn into larger, more serious cuts, bruises and tears. If your health checks out (as I suspect it will), you may simply need to be more cautious and try to avoid getting hurt.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report "Blood: Donations and Disorders". Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $12 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: The lady who wrote about her grey hair having yellow tones might try Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Original Conditioning Shampoo. The bottle I have is purple and so is the shampoo.

I've had great success with highlighting my grey hair and recommend it.

Reply: I understand there are a number of shampoos available that are directed toward highlighting dull or discoloured grey hair. They may be somewhat pricey compared to the vast supply of inexpensive products on store shelves, but if they do the trick and provide good results, I am sure they are worth the expense. If you have trouble finding such products, check with a local hairdresser who might have something for sale from the shop or who can otherwise recommend a good alternative.

Dr. Gott is a retired physician and the author of "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet" and "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook". Contact him c/o United Media, 200 Madison Avenue, fourth floor, New York, New York 10016.