How to get rid of a bruise in adults at home
If you accidentally hit yourself, a bruise may appear at the site of the bruise. Sometimes hematomas occur in open areas of the body and they look ugly. How to quickly get rid of a bruise? Which of the methods are effective and safe, and which are useless – we will discuss with an expert

We hit the coffee table, slipped on the ice … We all know how bruises are formed, which are replaced by bruises. What causes bruises and how to eliminate them faster?

A bruise is damage to small blood vessels under the skin. If the skin itself is not damaged, blood accumulates under it and begins to clot, appearing as colored spots. Also, along with bruises, bruises of soft tissues, muscles and bones are possible. The more serious the injury, the more bruising at the site of injury. Bruises are usually more swollen and painful to the touch than minor bruises on the skin.

You may not know, but bruises have their own classification. There are 2 main types:

Ecchymosis. Such a bruise is formed when blood from ruptured blood vessels seeps into the upper layers of the skin. A bruise under the eye is a typical example.

Hematomas. They develop when blood thickens and forms a lump under the skin.

The site of injury may be swollen and painful. Head injuries often cause hematomas because the scalp contains many blood vessels that are prone to rupture. A typical example is a bump on the forehead.

By the way, any injury to the head or near the eye can be serious and requires a medical examination.

A bruise is usually the result of an external force, such as being hit against something, but there are other causes, including certain diseases, such as damage to the kidneys or liver. Bruising can be caused by medical procedures or medications, including the anticoagulant warfarin. Bruising also contributes to the thinning of the skin associated with aging.

Most bruises are minor and heal within 2 weeks. Do not be intimidated by the many shades of bruising that may appear during its transformation. This is part of the healing process – the body breaks down the blood into its constituents. Here’s what to expect:

  • after an injury, the bruise is usually red or purple in color;
  • within a few days, this area may turn black, blue, or purple;
  • after 5 to 10 days, the bruise will most likely turn yellowish or greenish;
  • after 10 to 14 days, it will reach the final stage of healing – the bruise usually turns brown and lightens until it completely disappears.

But 2 weeks is a long time! Especially if there is a bruise on the face. To speed up healing, minimize swelling, discoloration and pain, you need to do a few simple manipulations immediately after a bruise:

1. Apply a cold compress to the bruised area, for example, any frozen product wrapped in a towel, but not more than 15 – 20 minutes (a cold compress left for a long time can cause frostbite). Then take it off and put it back on after 30 minutes. Do this as often as possible for 2 days.

2. After 2 days, apply a heating pad or a warm compress to the bruised area. For leg or arm injuries, elevate the limb above the level of the heart so that blood and fluids do not accumulate in the injured area.

3. Use over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen.

show more

4. Gently massage the affected area to improve blood flow.

These steps will help reduce the bruise, but it will still show up. How long it takes to heal depends entirely on the sensitivity of your skin. But there are home remedies that are safe to treat and can help get rid of bruises faster.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce pain. Aloe vera gel applied to the site of the bruise speeds up the healing process. It also helps reduce blood clotting.

Pineapple

This fruit contains bromelain, which is a mixture of enzymes and has anti-inflammatory properties. Bromelain helps heal bruising and swelling when applied to the skin. Eating fresh pineapple also helps to get rid of the bruise faster. But if you are allergic to pineapple, you should not use this option.

Apple vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties and helps with swelling. Mix it with water in a ratio of 2:1, soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply it to the bruise for 10-15 minutes.

Lavender oil

This oil is suitable for all skin types and can be safely used directly on the affected area. Take cold water and add 2-3 drops of lavender oil to it. Dampen a clean cloth with water and wipe the bruised area.

Diet to treat bruises

Some foods also affect how long bruises take to heal. They will help strengthen blood vessels and reduce the severity of bruising. If you get hurt, include in your diet:

  • citrus fruits – oranges, tangerines and lemons;
  • foods rich in vitamin K – spinach, broccoli, lettuce, soy, strawberries and blueberries;
  • fruits with natural quercetin – apples, onions, cherries and leafy green vegetables;
  • lean protein – fish, poultry, tofu, and lean meats.

Popular questions and answers

We asked popular questions about the treatment of bruises hematologist Ksenia Bocharova.

How long can a bruise last?

A bruise is a type of hematoma. In the first hours, we see nothing but a slight swelling and slight redness at the site of injury. And the bruise itself begins to develop after a day. On average, any bruise appears and disappears in about 2 weeks.

Why is a bruise dangerous?

The bruise itself is not dangerous. And it can’t be treated at all. If the bruise is on the face, it can simply be masked, for example, with foundation.

When to contact a doctor with a bruise?

If a person immediately bruises at the slightest touch to hard objects (wardrobe, chair), you need to see a doctor. Most likely, we are talking about some kind of hematological disease – thrombophilia, thrombocytopathy, pathology of the vascular wall. Such symptoms should not be ignored.

Bruising can form after taking anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs. They increase the tendency to bruise, especially when overdosed. In this case, it is also worth visiting a doctor and discussing treatment with him.

It is important that the doctor sees a patient whose bruising occurs spontaneously. For example, he lies, sits, does nothing, and then once, a hemorrhage appears before his eyes. These can be cases of a rare pathology, for example, hemophilia, when, at the slightest injury, large bruises, large bruises appear on the body, tense and painful, which compress the surrounding tissues.

Is it possible to get rid of a bruise in folk ways?

Yes, there are folk remedies that accelerate the passage of the bruise development stage. And there are three of them in color:

● crimson blue;

● blue-red;

● yellow-green.

Of the medical preparations available at the pharmacy, these are ointments containing heparin. They slightly accelerate the development of a bruise. For example, these three stages will not pass in 2 weeks, but a little faster.

Is it possible to get rid of a bruise in one day?

Three stages have not been canceled, and the bruise will go through them anyway. And, unfortunately, it is impossible to get rid of a bruise in one day, you can only slightly speed up the process so that the stages change each other faster, the bruise turns yellow-green and disappears.

Leave a Reply