By Bryony Gooch
Copyright independent
The White House has shared new pictures appearing to show Donald Trump’s hand still covered in makeup ahead of his state visit to the UK.
In a social media post, Trump could be seen speaking to reporters before he boarded the Marine One helicopter on the White House south lawn Tuesday.
Part of the back of his hand appeared to be darker in color than the rest, similar to previous images that had ignited concerns about the 79-year-old’s health.
A dark bruise has covered Trump’s hand for months, with photos showing multiple attempts to cover it with often-unblended concealer.
While typically bruises can take between one week and a month to heal, longer lasting marks can indicate a more serious health issue such as a low blood platelet count or blood clotting issues.
The White House and Trump’s doctor have maintained that the president is in “excellent health” and that the hand bruise is the result of frequent handshaking and intake of aspirin.
“This 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,” Trump’s doctor, Sean Barbabella, has said. “This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.”
Photos of Trump’s legs as he watched the FIFA Club World Cup initially raised concerns about his health over the summer, which led the to announceTrump’s chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis.
The condition happens when leg vein valves fail, causing blood to pool and pressure to build, often leading to discomfort if untreated, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president’s condition was not causing him discomfort, but did not provide treatment details.
Chronic venous insufficiency is common for people of Trump’s age, commonly affecting those who stand or sit for long periods, older adults, people who are overweight, or those with multiple pregnancies.
As Trump visits the UK, protests are set to take place across London Wednesday. When he arrived in Windsor on Tuesday evening, four people were arrested after pictures of Trump and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto Windsor Castle.
