How to Get Rid of a Bruise: 15 Home Remedies and Tips

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Bruises are often the results of injury or nutrient deficiencies. Skin injuries cause breaking down of blood vessels of the affected area resulting in blood seeping out of the vessels. [1]

You may only get to see a red mark on the skin of the injury in the first stage. The skin changes its color to blue, purple or black with time. As the body heals, the color turns to yellow or green and slowly fades out completely. [2] As we grow old, our skins become weak and sensitive and get bruised easily.

Bruising is not a medical complication. When you get hurt, it might take only a few minutes for the bruises to appear. It may take nearly two weeks for a bruise to diminish permanently.

Here in this article, we have some easy home remedies that can help your bruises to heal faster.

15 Easy Home Remedies to Get Rid of a Bruise Faster

1. Bandage

You can use an elastic bandage to treat your bruised skin. It will prevent the bruise from spreading. A bandage around the bruised skin stops the blood vessels from leaking which makes the healing process faster. [3]

It also keeps your skin tightened by keeping all the damaged tissues in place that can help your bruise to become not too severe. Therefore, you can try putting on a bandage or a cloth to tie up the entire bruised area.

2. Parsley

How to Get Rid of a Bruise Fast — Dreamstime

Parsley, an herb, is enriched with medicinal properties. [4] It can come to your great help in reducing the swelling and severity of a bruise. Parsley contains vitamin K which is beneficial for your skin. [5] It reduces the clotting up of blood and also checks inflammation of your bruised skin.

You need to put some parsley leaves over the affected area and cover it with a bandage or cloth.

Adding parsley to your diet is another way. It will help you to overcome the deficiency of vitamin K which is an important reason behind bruises.

3. Ginger

Crushed ginger can be one of your best choices to treat a bruised skin. [6] Gingers are very high in powerful antioxidants that make the healing faster and soothe your skin. [7]

Just crush a whole ginger and rub gently on your skin. For best results, try drinking ginger tea.

4. Honey

Wounds or bruises are prone to bacteria. Bacteria cause infections of the skin.

To protect your skin from bacterial intrusion, use honey for it. Honey is a natural moisturizer enriched with antibacterial properties. [8] It also gears up the healing of bruises.

Apply some honey to your affected skin and let it dry. It will keep your skin tightened and stop the bruises from spreading.

5. Black Coffee

Black coffees are also great for treating bruises. It speeds up the healing of your affected skin. [9] For this, you need to grind up some coffee beans and apply the powder over your bruised skin. Cover the area with a bandage to rest.

6. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice for bruises is undoubtedly the most effective remedy. Lemons are high in vitamin C which is essential for a human body. [10] It can solve many skin problems with less hazard and quicker response. It might irritate a little at first but it treats your bruise faster than anything else.

Squeeze out the juice of a lemon and apply directly to your affected skin rubbing gently for a few minutes.

7. Juice of Onion

Onions are great dealing with inflammation of an injured skin. [11] Bruises skins have blood clotted in that area. Onions are capable of working deeply on your clotted blood vessels.

Extract the juice from an onion and apply on your skin. It gets easily absorbed and starts working on your injured area.

8. Turmeric and Tamarind Paste

Turmeric is well known for its therapeutic and medicinal properties. [12] Curcumin, a compound present in turmeric, is enriched with essential health benefits. It helps to reduce swelling of a bruised skin and heals the damaged tissues. Tamarind is antimicrobial agent stocked with powerful antioxidants. It reduces inflammation of the skin and heals wounds. [13]

Make a thick paste of tamarind mixed with a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder. Heat up the mixture and apply over the bruised skin. Cover the area with a soft cloth.

9. Ice Compression

Ice compression is the easiest way to treat bruises. When you develop a bruise, grab an ice cube and place it over the area for about ten minutes. It will allow your skin to calm down reducing the swelling and soreness. [14] For reapplying, wait for fifteen minutes after the first application. Ice compressions stop blood vessels from pooling up under the injured area.

10. Warm Water Application

Applying heat over your bruises can also come to your benefit. For this, you can use hot water bags or bottles filled with warm water. But the water should not be too hot. You need warm water to treat your skin the right way. [15] Warm water helps to reduce blood clots and soothes the affected area. If your skin is too swelled up, apply ice compression first following up with the warm water application.

11. Vinegar

Vinegar is beneficial for bruised skin as it is capable of treating clotted blood vessels very quickly. [16] Blood pools up under the bruised area and the skin starts to change in color.

Mix some vinegar with warm water and apply in that area. It will instantly check the pooled blood and ensure healing of your skin.

12. Essential Oils

Essential oils like peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and geranium oil work well with wounds and bruises. [17, 18] You can use an essential oil of your choice.

For this, you need to mix five to six drops of essential oil with some cold water and soak a washcloth in it. Apply the washcloth over your bruised area. This will reduce swelling and eliminate pain.

13. Aloe vera Gel

Pure aloe vera gel is beneficial for skin in many aspects. Aloe veras are known to diminish pain and soothe skin. The anti-inflammatory agents if aloe vera reduces inflammation of skin. [19]

Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf and apply all over your bruised area.

14. Vitamin C and Vitamin K

Vitamins are essential for the faster healing of bruises and wounds.

Vitamin C reduces soreness and promotes healing of the skin. It is also known for treating hyper pigmented skin. Vitamin K is wonderful in dealing with damaged tissues and blood vessels.

You should add foods containing these two vitamins in your diet. Also you can use creams high in these vitamins and apply on your affected skin.

15. Arnica

Arnica, a homeopathic herb, is known for reducing inflammation. [20] On its application to the affected area, it reduces swelling if the skin as well. Arnica gets easily absorbed to the skin which makes it more ideal for bruises. You can take arnica pills or gels orally if you want to.

For topical application, use an ointment containing arnica in it and apply directly over the bruised skin.

Tips and Precautions to Heal Bruises Fast

You can maintain a healthy diet especially planned to heal bruises faster. Try adding pineapples and vegetables rich in vitamin C in your daily meals.
If you are not hurt and still get a bruised skin, consult a doctor about it.
Bruises can get severe at times. Severe bruises indicate to a serious health injury. Therefore it becomes mandatory to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Try not to rub your bruised skin as this can make it worse. Handle your bruises gently.
Be careful while walking or moving to avoid any further injury or developing a bruise in future.
Don’t use random creams or held on your bruises.

When to See a Doctor

A bruise last from eight days to two weeks. But if your bruises are too severe or bleeding too much, it can take up to six weeks or even longer to recover fully.

If you develop a bruise due to an injury from an accident, it is normal and will go away if you take care of it correctly.

But if your body tends to develop bruises without any accident, there might be some serious health issue. In such a case you should consult a doctor without delay.

Bottom Line

A bruise is the result of an injury that causes a change in color of the skin. Bruises can be the reason for an unplanned banging of your body part, falling down and even too much exercise.

A bruised skin is often bluish or purple. Some severe bruises can become blackish red.

Handling a bruise requires patience and attention.

A bruise takes time to heal completely. So you need to choose remedies that seem best to you and apply till you get full recovery.

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