bruises on arms with fine skin, normal elsewhere.

pred will make your skin thin and dry... I have a large dog and after even little play with him, my forarms look like I had a fight with cats.  I asked my rheumy few days ago, during appointment about it and he said that skin will go back to normal only after completely off the prednisone.

It took about two years after finishing pred.for my skin to get back to full strength.

Until I read your post I hadn't realised that in my case, too, only  arms had been affected.  Thinking about it I wonder whether it's just because it's our arms that are most exposed? I didn't just get red marks;  often the top layers of skin peeled right off. I took to wearing a padded jacket even in hot weather when I was gardening.

A lot of things can raise the inflammatory markers - including colds and chest infections.

I think BettyE is right about our arms being more exposed so they get bashed more. I've actually never had a real problem, just a few petechiae rather than bruises - I know someone else who is the same and the thing we have in common is never using soap for anything other than hands. If I use showergel the skin on my arms suddenly gets very dry - and when I forgot myself and used some in the morning before flying from Europe to Vancouver I sat and watched the skin on my arms literally flake off! It took a fair bit of moisturising cream to sort it out. The other lady swears by Doublebase (or Diprobase) - unperfumed emollient creams. In the UK you can get it on prescription.Some people in the US have managed to buy it via that well known site from South America...

My forearms are already scarred from my skin getting ripped off by just brushing past the protruding door nob plate on the door frame. I actually tried bandaging with antibiotic ointment but the bandage adhesive caused problems. I ended up cutting the ankle part of old socks and slipping it over the forearm as a way to hold the ointment and later moisturizer in place.

I found arnica infused oil- NOT homeopathic preparations applied then doublebase over that healed everything. Arnica was recommended by a surgeon in the past for bruising. I also add some helichrysm oil to it. 

It's now easier in winter with long sleeved tops protecting the arms.

Yup, fingers and arms are the worst.  Not so much dry as I use moisturizers over all my skin.  Howerver, it doesn't take much to break the paperthin skin on hands and forearms.  If I need a bandaid, they have to be those for "sensitive skin" otherwise I end up with a huge purple/red bruise when I take it off! I also bruise quite easily on other body parts and they take a long while to disappear.  

I have the same problem but also all down my shins. Both lower arms and legs look like I have done ten rounds with Mike Tyson! My skin is so thin and papery that it breaks at the merest rub and then I bleed badly and it is difficult to stop the bleeding. I use tape for sensitive skin to hold on pads and it can take many weeks for the scab to come off and surrounding bruise to disappear. I use Arnica to help with the bruising and either the Diprobase type of skin emollient mentioned in other replies or Cetromagrocol, which is similar, but which I prefer. I am on 11mg of Pred now but don't imagine this condition will disappear any time soon. So, you are not alone! Loulie

I am always covered in bruises, arms, legs, hands. I am not sure where some of them come from. I also have the red marks, purpura, they are mainly on my forearms. When I started pred they were really bad and I looked as if I had walked through a bramble hedge. Now I am down to 6mg I thought I would be over it but I still have the problem although not quite as bad. I also have them on my upper arms every so often and occasionally my legs. I am not sure how they appear. If I have a blood test I cannot have a plaster as it tears off my skin when I take it off.

same here. Any touch from my dogs nails will cause blood and bruising.  Now I am on lower dose of Pred it seems to be getting a bit better or maybe I am just more careful.....