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.
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.
Heals minor skin scrapes and bruises – Petroleum jelly keeps the area moist, preventing the wound from drying out and forming an ugly scab. It can also keep the scrape or bruise from getting worse.
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 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.
You can help your bruises heal faster by: Resting and elevating the injured area to prevent swelling and to relieve pain. Applying 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.
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.
Heal bruises
It is believed that toothpaste helps break up the clot and increase blood flow. People report noticing a difference after just one night, but it may take several applications to make the bruise completely disappear.
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.
Use ice for inflammation within the first 24 hours. Ice is best as soon after the injury as possible, but never during the activity. Personal preference. After 24 hours, using heat or cold therapy can be determined according to your preference.
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.
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.
A diet that includes vitamin K will prevent deficiency and may help a person bruise less. Good sources include kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, soybeans, strawberries, and blueberries. Lean protein. Fish, poultry, tofu, and lean meat provide protein to help strengthen capillaries.
Once you have iced the bruise for 24 hours, you should start applying heat to the bruised area. This will increase circulation to the affected area and help to break down the pooled blood. An electric heating pad works best and should be used for 20 minutes several times throughout the day.
On the day you get a bruise, apply an ice pack to reduce swelling as well as constrict broken blood vessels. Those vessels then may leak less blood. Avoid heat. In the first two or three days after bruising yourself, a very hot bath or shower could cause more bleeding and swelling.
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.
Cryotherapy (ICE):
The research shows icing disrupts inflammation, delays neutrophil and macrophage infiltration as well as the anabolic hormone Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) that sparks the next phase of the healing process, muscle repair and regeneration.
To neutralize #1 red-violet, choose the color opposite on the color wheel – #2 or green – then put green concealer on the red-violet bruise. Next, to neutralize #3 or yellow, choose the color opposite yellow on the color wheel – #4 or violet – and put the violet concealer on the yellow bruise.
Yellow color correcting concealer can be used to cover up any blemish that's purple in tone. Bruises, veins, and under eye circles can be hidden with a yellow spot concealer.
Colors that are directly opposite of each other on the color wheel can offset each other, by hiding or drowning out the predominate color of a mark or bruise. By layering the opposite color of the blemish on top, it will camouflage the imperfection. If you have redness, green will tone it down.
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.
Blood Thinners – Warfarin, heparin, and low-dose baby aspirin. Long-term use of blood thinning medications can cause bruises that won't go away. Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) – Anti-inflammatory medications may also have blood thinning properties that increase the risk of internal bleeding.
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.