Bruises usually fade away in about 2 weeks. Over that time, the bruise changes color as the body breaks down and reabsorbs the blood. The color of the bruise can give you an idea how old it is: When a bruise first happens, it's kind of red as the blood appears under the skin.
Your face may be swollen and bruised. It may take 5 to 7 days for the swelling to go down, and 10 to 14 days for the bruising to fade. It may be hard to eat at first.
Put ice or a cold pack on your face for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the first 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. Sleep with your head slightly raised until the swelling goes down.
Apply ice immediately after the injury. Apply heat to bruises that have already formed to clear up the trapped blood. Compression, elevation, and a bruise-healing diet can also help speed up the healing process.
Ice Therapy
Put ice on your bruise right after you get injured. That can reduce the size of your bruise, which may allow it to heal faster. The cold temperature from an ice pack makes the blood in that area flow more slowly. It may reduce the amount of blood that leaks out of your vessels.
Don't Touch It
Given that the area is in pain, you might want to massage it — resist the urge. Touching or massaging the bruise may actually resulting in more broken blood vessels and a worse-looking bruise.
Elevate the bruised area above heart level, if possible. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel. Leave it in place for 20 minutes. Repeat several times for a day or two after the injury.
Bruises can last awhile, but always go away. They are never permanent. Some take longer than others to go away.
Ice not only helps with pain, but it can also slow bleeding, making the bruise less severe. Applying cold compresses for about 20 minutes at a time can help ease swelling and inflammation. Icing an injury during the first 24–48 hours usually provides the greatest benefit.
It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks. They start off a reddish color, and then turn bluish-purple and greenish-yellow before returning to normal. To reduce bruising, ice the injured area and elevate it above your heart.
After 2 days, warmth may aid healing.
A heating pad or warm washcloth wrapped in a towel can help some bruises heal. Even a warm bath can soothe sore areas. Warmth brings more blood flow to an area of the body, which can help as the body tries to heal the injury.
Arnica cream or arnica gel can be used to decrease swelling, bleeding, bruising and reduce pain. Arnica creams such as Skintensive Bruise And Scar Cream can be used for topical application to heal bruises effectively.
Apply ice packs for the first 24 to 48 hours after injury. Wrap the ice pack in a towel and apply ice for no more than 15 minutes at a time. Repeat throughout the day. Apply a heating pad or warm compress to the injured area after two days.
The first rule of thumb is to never use heat on an acute injury. That extra heat can cause an increase in inflammation and delay proper healing. Applying an ice pack within the first 48 hours of an injury can help numb pain, relieve inflammation, and limit bruising.
Apply a cold compress for the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury. The quicker you ice, the more you minimize bruising. Avoid massaging the bruise or applying heat because it may make the bruise larger. After 48 hours, a warm compress can be used to help break the bruise apart and to encourage lymphatic drainage.
Simply put, ice is best initially for acute (recent) injuries within the first 48 hours, while heat is generally used for chronic (long term) conditions.
Leaving ice on an injury for too long can cause more harm than good. Because ice constricts the blood vessels, it can reduce the blood flow to the injured area and slow the healing process. Ice should not be needed after the first 24 hours unless your doctor recommends it to reduce active swelling or to relieve pain.
Avoid all movement and massage of the bruised area. Also avoid excessive alcohol. All these things will increase the bleeding, swelling and pain of your bruise.
It often starts red because fresh, oxygen-rich blood has newly pooled underneath the skin. After around 1–2 days, the blood begins to lose oxygen and change color. A bruise that is a few days old will often appear blue, purple, or even black. In about 5–10 days, it turns a yellow or green color.
Within 2 to 3 days, your body starts reabsorbing the blood. There's a greater concentration of yellow or green. Light brown. By day 10 to 14, the bruise fades to light brown before disappearing completely.
While some of this pigmentation may eventually fade, some bruises can heal with permanent hyperpigmentation, especially if the bruises occur on the lower leg area. This results due to delayed clearance of the hemosiderin under the skin. This is more common in areas with worse circulation like on the lower legs.
Typically, it is a collection of blood under the skin that heals quickly when treated with R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) and pain medication. However, sometimes a bruise can be a sign of deeper trauma. If left untreated, some large bruises may even wind up causing permanent muscle damage.
Bruises last one to three weeks on average, though it's OK if a bruise lasts a little longer. During the healing process, you might notice the bruise changing colors.”
Poor Circulation. During the healing process, your body's red blood cells carry new cells to the site to begin rebuilding tissue. Poor blood circulation can slow down this process, making the wound that much longer to heal. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, can cause poor blood circulation.