As you heal, an iron-rich substance in your blood -- called hemoglobin -- breaks down into other compounds. This process makes your bruise change colors: It's usually red right after the injury. Within a day or two, it turns purplish or black and blue.
When a bruise first happens, it's kind of red as the blood appears under the skin. Within 1–2 days, the hemoglobin (an iron-containing substance that carries oxygen) in the blood changes and the bruise turns bluish-purple or even black. After 5–10 days, the bruise looks green or yellow.
Bruises are typically surface injuries that heal on their own without medical attention, and people can treat them safely at home. However, if you suffer a more significant trauma or injury and have bruising that does not heal and disappear after 2 weeks, then it's time to get medical attention.
Most bruises fade away within two weeks without treatment. More severe bruising and hematomas may last a month or longer. These steps can help you heal faster: Rest and elevate the injured area to prevent swelling and relieve pain.
Yellowish-brown or Light brown Bruise
You will reach the final stage of your bruise after 10 to 14 days and your bruise will change its color to yellowish-brown or light brown which means your bruise is about to fade.
The bruise should change colors as it heals. You may also have some pain and swelling. It will hurt most in the first few days after your injury.
This dark purple spot forms on your skin when blood leaks out of your blood vessels into the top layer of your skin. It's usually from an injury, and it's 1/2 inch long or bigger. A bruise or two on your arms or legs is usually nothing to worry about.
Consider Color Correcting
Think of the color wheel. For bruises, which normally boast a purple or blue hue, you'll want to use a yellow concealer to neutralize their appearance.
In about 5–10 days, it turns a yellow or green color. These colors come from compounds called biliverdin and bilirubin that the body produces when it breaks down hemoglobin. After 10–14 days, it will turn to a shade of yellowish-brown or light brown.
After a few days, the bruise will appear blue or black. After 5-10 days, the bruise will turn a greenish or yellowish color as it begins to fade. After 10-14 days, the bruise appears light brown and color and gets lighter each day until it fades completely.
Seek urgent medical attention if the pain, bruising, or swelling doesn't subside in a week or starts to get worse, if the injured area is numb or bleeding, if you can't walk, or if you can't move your arms or legs.
Recovery time can range between a few days to a few weeks. Though many cases of muscle bruising heal on their own, more severe muscle injuries may require medical attention. If your symptoms don't improve within a few days of developing the injury, see your doctor.
Can't bad bruises cause blood clots? The bruise itself won't cause a blood clot. In very rare circumstances, the hit that caused the bruise can. If a deep-seated vein is damaged during the collision, it could lead to a deep-vein clot.
Blue, purple or black
After 1-2 days the blood that has leaked out begins to lose oxygen and change color. Depending on the size, location and severity of your bruise, it could appear shades of blue, purple or black.
If a bruise is left untreated, blood may continue to enter an injured area. This can cause devastating complications for athletes. Physicians can more easily help you prevent myositis if you seek treatment before bone tissue starts to form.
If your bruises are yellow, this means that they will soon be completely healed. This final stage of healing is characteristic of the yellow hue. Hemoglobin, a protein containing iron, is released into the body upon the breakdown of red blood cells.
As the body heals, bruises change color, shape, and size. These changes occur as the blood's hemoglobin loses oxygen, and is broken down by your body. Bruising can take weeks to fade away, and the amount of time is different for each person. Bruised areas can swell and get worse in the first few days.
What actually happens is that once the bruise occurs, it causes the injury at the specific site and the site then swells. After a period of time, that swelling dissipates with the body's help. When this occurs, instead of being confined to one area, it will spread out, so to speak.
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.
As bruises (contusions) heal, usually within 2 to 4 weeks, they often turn colours, including purplish black, reddish blue, or yellowish green. Sometimes the area of the bruise spreads down the body in the direction of gravity.
They found a significant association between colour and bruise age (p < 0.001), namely red/blue and purple colours were more commonly seen in bruises <48 hours old, and yellow, brown, and green bruises were most often seen in bruises over seven days.
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.
Also called hematomas, these large bruises may be a sign of a more serious injury, like a broken bone. They might also signal bleeding inside of your body that needs treatment. Hematomas are more likely to affect people with a blood clotting disorder or who take blood thinners.