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Remedies to Get Rid of

Bruises Quickly
 Beauty Hacks

Jan 6, 2015
0 7740
Bruises are purplish, red or black-blue spots on
the skin that are caused due to an injury. When
any of your body organs gets hurt hard, the
small blood vessels under the skin in that area
get damaged. Sudden blood leak from the blood
vessels to the surrounding tissues usually cause
the black-blue marks. Bruises are medically
termed as contusion. It only takes minutes for
your skin to turn dark with bruise after a hard
hit, but the spot takes a couple of days to fade
away. You may also feel pain and inflammation
on the affected area. Bruises heal in around 12-
15 days. However, if you follow the below listed
remedies on how to get rid of bruises quickly,
you can even chuck them out overnight.
HOME REMEDIES FOR BRUISES
The following are some useful home remedies
to get rid of bruises before they turn into a
major scar.

1. Ice Therapy

Application of ice pack is the best first aid for

bruises. Ice packs actually cool down the
damaged blood vessels and control the blood
leakage. Keep the ice cube on the bruise for 10
minutes for an immediate relief. Do not exceed
the time to apply cold pack for more than 20
minutes (1, 2, 3).

 Alternatively, if an ice pack is not available,

then soak a cotton cloth in ice cold water and
place it on the affected area (4).
 Moreover, frozen vegetables can also help
you get rid of bruises overnight. Wrap them
 in a soft cotton towel and place it on the
bruise.
 Another option is to take two stainless steel
spoons and put them in the freezer for 15
minutes. Later, place them on your bruise.
This helps reduce the blood clot.

2. Elastic Bandage

You can use an elastic bandage to stop bruise

from spreading. Whenever you find a bruise on
your body, immediately wrap a plastic bandage
to control the blood leakage in the tissues. This
not only prevents bruise from spreading, but
also makes the healing process speedy (5, 6).

You can also use a cloth to tie around the

affected area (7).

3. Hot Water Bottle

Take a bottle and fill hot water in it. Keep it on
the injured area. Hot water will certainly reduce
the blood clot and slow down the blood flow to
the affected tissues. Moist heat works better on
bruised tissues in comparison to dry heat
therapy, as it goes deeper and spreads quickly.
Apart from hot water, you can also use hot bath,
hot water soaked towel or a warm Jacuzzi (8).

4. Vinegar

Vinegar has the efficiency to drive away the

blood that has pooled in the affected area. Once
bruises appear, mix vinegar with warm water
and apply it on the affected area to treat blood
clot instantly  (9).

5. Pineapple
Pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain. This
enzyme when consumed can reach the
damaged blood vessels to digest the protein
that causes bruise and skin inflammation (10).

Taking at least 500 milligrams of bromelain each

day can fade away bruise faster.

6. Vitamin K

Vitamin K is an effective remedy to treat blood

clotting and tissue damage in the body (11).

To treat bruises quickly, eat vitamin K rich

vegetables. Add Brussels sprouts, broccoli and
leafy green vegetables to your meal.

 Alternatively, buy vitamin K cream from the

nearby drug store and apply it on the bruises
to treat them faster.
7. Chocolate

Chocolates contain cocoa bioactive compounds

that have anti inflammatory properties and
hence prove very beneficial for skin health (12).

Melt some chocolate and keep that warm

melted chocolate on the bruised area. Now
cover it with a bandage to let the chocolate dry
over the affected area. This hot chocolate pack
compresses the damaged blood vessels to
control the blood flow. This also reduces bruises
instantly.

Note – When trying hot chocolate pack, do not

apply too hot chocolate on the affected area as
it may hurt you more.

8. Sugar Syrup
Sugar has anti bacterial properties and it
promotes wound healing (13).

Apply hot sugar syrup on the bruise and tie it

with a bandage. If hot syrup sounds scary to
you, then first apply thick sugar syrup on the
bruise and afterwards place ice pack on the
affected area. Now, let the sugar dry to tighten
the skin so that bruises stop spreading all over.

9. Papaya

This fruit contains an enzyme called Papain

which is used to treat many skin problems (14).

Therefore, eat papaya to get rid of bruises

faster.

10. Vitamin C
Vitamin C rich foods such as mangoes, broccoli,
peppers, sweet potatoes, and oranges also help
reduce skin inflammation and bruises sooner
(15).

11. Grape Seed

Crush a few grape seeds to extract the juice

from it. Apply this flavonoid-rich grape seed
juice to heal the bruise. Alternatively, drink this
juice twice a day for effective results (16).

12. Turmeric and Tamarind Paste

Turmeric is traditionally used to get rid of

bruises because of its therapeutic and medicinal
properties (17).
Make thick paste of tamarind and add two pinch
of turmeric to it. Now heat this pack and gently
apply the hot pack on the bruise. Cover the
bruise with a soft cotton cloth to let it disappear
faster.

13. Onion

Onion has inflammatory properties and it can

work well on the damaged skin cells (18).

When bruises are caused due to blood vessels

injury, you can extract onion juice and apply it
on your bruise. Let the skin absorb juice so that
it works deep within the blocked blood vessels
to treat the blood clot.

14. Lemon
Lemon contains vitamin C which is very useful in
treating skin problems (19).

This could be a little painful treatment for

bruises, but it is the most effective one. Apply
lemon juice on your bruise and gently rub for
about 5 minutes. It will soon heal the bruises.

15. Black Coffee

When you get a wound, grind some

black coffee and keep it on the wound. Now tie a
bandage around it. This remedy will heal the
bruises within a few days (20).

16. Sugar

When bacteria enter your cut or wound, it grows

faster. Application of sugar syrup or honey can
prevent the growth of bacteria along with
treating the bruise. Honey has anti bacterial and
wound healing properties which make it an
important remedy for healing bruises (21, 22).

17. Pepper, Vaseline, and Cayenne

Cayenne has tremendous pain relieving

properties. Apply it directly on skin to get rid of
bruises (23).

Mix cayenne and pepper with Vaseline, and then

apply it on your bruise to heal it quickly.

18. Butter

Butter has anti inflammatory properties. It has

been proved through several studies that butter
has medicinal properties which can cure skin
problems (24, 25).

For treating minor bruises and burns, you can

use butter. Apply fresh butter on the bruise and
gently massage your skin.

19. Castor Oil

Rubbing castor oil on the bruise not only

reduces it, but also prevents the skin from
peeling off once the bruise is gone (26).

20. Raw Potato

To keep bruising under control, you can apply

shredded raw potato on the bruise.

21. Ginger
Ginger contains anti oxidants which are very
beneficial for skin health (27).

Slice some ginger and soak them in hot water

for some time. Then, strain the water and drink
it. Alternatively, rub the crushed ginger directly
on the bruises.

HERBAL REMEDIES FOR BRUISES

22. Comfrey Leaves

Comfrey leaves (either dried or fresh) make a

perfect herbal solution to treat bruises. Take
dried or fresh comfrey leaves and add them to
the boiling water. Let it boil for 15 minutes and
strain the water to treat bruises overnight
(28, 29).
23. Arnica

This is an herb that helps treat severe bruises.

Arnica can be blended with water and can be
applied on the affected area. This herb contains
a special compound which reduces
inflammation and skin irritation in the affected
area (30, 31).

24. Parsley

Fresh parsley from your kitchen can also aid in

healing bruises fast because it contains vitamin
K (32).

Once you tie your bruise with an elastic

bandage, keep some crushed fresh parsley
leaves on the affected area. This not only checks
bruises, but also controls blood clot,
inflammation, and  reduces the pain caused due
to bruising.

25. St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort has natural inflammatory

properties (acylphloroglucinol hyperforin) and it
quickly heals the wound that otherwise causes
bruise on your body (33).

It also helps relieve pain. Apply St. John’s wort oil

on your bruise, or you can boil dried St. John’s
wort in water. Strain the water and drink till the
bruises are completely gone.

26. Herbal Tea Compress

Get herbal tea compress to soothe your bruise.

Add chamomile and dried lavender flowers in
hot water and let it steep for about 15 minutes.
Now strain the extract and allow it to cool. Now
dip a cloth in the mixture and keep it on your
bruise to get quick relief from it (34).

27. Olive Oil and Mullein Flowers

Olive oil can be directly applied to the skin to get

rid of wounds and bruises (35).

Mullein has been traditionally used to cure

bruises (36).

Soak some mullein flowers in olive oil and apply

it on the bruise to see it disappear faster.

28. Margarine
Rub a little margarine on your wound to prevent
it from bruising.

29. Alfalfa

Alfalfa works best for blood clotting since it is

rich in vitamin K. Apply alfalfa on your bruise to
prevent it from getting severe (37).

30. Arnica, Chamomile and Yarrow

Arnica is popularly used to get rid of bruises

(38).

Chamomile possess anti inflammatory

properties that helps to get rid of wounds (39).

Yarrow is an herb which is also used to cure

wounds (40).
Take arnica, chamomile and yarrow, and mix
them together to form an herbal infusion. Apply
it regularly on the bruise to make it fade away
faster.

31. Bilberry

Bilberry contains strong antioxidants known

as anthocyanosides that reinforce the blood
vessels and balance the collagen, thereby,
reduce the bruises. You can consume bilberry
extract or can take it in the form of pills (41).

32. Witch Hazel

The active ingredients found in witch hazel have

astringent properties which prove useful to cure
bruises (42).
Apply a cotton ball soaked in witch hazel on the
bruise to speed up the healing process and
soothe the inflammation.

DO’S

 Use the above remedies as many times as

possible in a day.
 There are microwave moist heat packs
available in the market. You can buy such
heat packs to treat your bruises better.
 Soon after treating your bruise with cold or
warm packs, a soothing massage is
recommended. If you cannot tolerate the
pain then chuck this step..
 You can combine both warm and cold bruise
treatments alternately to get better relief
from bruise. However it is recommended
that you give at least 2 hours gap between
these treatments.
 If you are living in a tropical area then
expose your bruise to direct sunlight.
Sunlight breaks down the bilirubin to make
the bruise yellow in colour, thus, it fades
away faster.
 If possible, keep the affected area elevated
(43).

DON’TS

 While treating bruise in legs and hands,

always try to treat it from top and not under
the affected area.
 After bruises appear, restrict moving around
often. The more you walk, run, jump or move
around, the bruise develops more. Avoid
putting strain on affected area.
 Start your treatment before 24 hours as the
blood clot may get severe.
 Avoid intake of aspirin.
Sometime bruises may occur without fall, trip or
any other injury. This is a serious condition and
an indication for you to consult your doctor.
Bruises can also appear due to
leukemia, anemia and hemophilia that are
deadly, so consult your doctor immediately.