How long does it take for a bruise to heal

Advocates of natural medicine support the idea of eating foods that are high in vitamin C — or taking a vitamin C supplement — to help heal a bruise faster. Vitamin C assists the body in reducing inflammation. They also suggest applying a gel or creams that contain vitamin C directly to the bruise. Shop for vitamin C supplements and creams online.

A mixture of enzymes found in pineapple and papaya , bromelain is suggested by natural healing advocates to reduce inflammation and inhibit blood clots from forming. They support the idea that taking a bromelain supplement of to milligrams will make a bruise disappear faster. The capsaicin found in hot peppers is believed by many to be effective in reducing the pain of bruises.

Some suggest making a mixture of one part cayenne pepper and five parts melted petroleum jelly Vaseline and applying to your bruise. Advocates of natural healing suggest that a cream containing comfrey or a compress using boiled dry comfrey leaves can help a bruise heal quickly.

Some supporters of home remedies suggest ingesting bilberry extract to stabilize collagen and strengthen capillaries which, in turn, they believe will help your bruise heal faster. Shop for bilberry extract online. A bruise on the face can be upsetting for cosmetic reasons. If you treat it properly, you might be able to reduce the amount of time you have to see it when you look in the mirror.

Be aware that a bruise could also be a symptom of a more serious injury. A blow to the head that causes a bruise may also have caused a concussion or even a fracture, and should be monitored closely.

A black eye is the appearance of bruising around the eyes and is usually caused by trauma to the head or face. Read more on other causes of black eye. Bruises are common and usually disappear with time. Just get some ice, put it in a plastic bag, and wrap the bag in a cloth or a towel and place it on the bruise don't apply the ice directly to the skin.

Another trick is to use a bag of frozen vegetables. It doesn't matter what kind — carrots, peas, lima beans, whatever — as long as they're frozen. A bag of frozen vegetables is easy to apply to the bruise because it can form to the shape of the injured area. Also, like a cold pack, it can be used and refrozen again and again just pick your least-favorite vegetables and label the bag — you don't want to keep thawing and freezing veggies that you plan to eat!

To reduce swelling and bruising, elevate the bruised area above the level of your heart. In other words, if the bruise is on your shin, lie down on a couch or bed and prop up your leg. This will help prevent blood from pooling in the area because more of the blood will flow back toward your heart.

If you keep standing, more blood will flow to your bruised shin and the bruise will be larger. Bruises are kind of hard to avoid completely. But if you're playing sports, riding your bike, inline skating, or doing anything where you might bump, bang, crash, or smash into something, it's smart to wear protective gear like pads, shin guards, and helmets. A person may be able to estimate how old a bruise is from the color.

As the body heals and breaks down the hemoglobin, or compound that gives blood its red color, the bruise will change in color. This is a regular part of the healing process. However, skin color affects the appearance of a bruise. Those with medium skin tones had more red and yellow to their bruises, while darker skin tones displayed darker bruises.

During the healing process, a bruise will usually go through the following colors :. Finally, once the bruise has turned a light brown, it will begin to fade. Most bruises will disappear without treatment within about 2 weeks.

Bruises are not typically something to cause undue worry. Often, they are a surface injury that requires no medical attention, and people can treat them at home. One common issue is a hematoma. A hematoma is a large collection of blood that becomes trapped within tissues.

It is often related to more significant trauma. When a hematoma occurs, the body cannot heal the bruise as easily or quickly as a minor injury. As a result, a hematoma stays the same color, firmness, and causes the same level of pain even after several days. People may want to try to speed healing or lessen any pain associated with bruising. There are some potential at-home methods they can try, as described here:.

One of the first steps to helping a bruise heal is to apply ice to the area. For example, anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and aspirin interfere with blood clotting. Corticosteroids can thin the skin.

Even dietary supplements, such as gingko, can thin your blood. Your doctor can also order blood tests to check platelet levels or measure your blood-clotting time. Some conditions that can cause this are:. Always see your doctor after a chest injury. Complications can include infection and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms of leukemia include:. Inflammatory breast cancer can look like bruising on the breast.

Your breast may also feel tender and warm. Inflammatory breast cancer may not involve lumps like other types of breast cancer. If you have signs and symptoms of leukemia or inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor right away. An X-ray can confirm or rule this out. Be prepared to provide your personal and family health history as well as a list of medications and dietary supplements.

Blood tests can check platelet levels and measure blood-clotting time. Depending on your symptoms, you may also need an X-ray or other imaging tests to check for fractured bones.

Initial tests plus a physical exam will inform the next steps.