Ice might help a bruise heal slightly faster, but its not a miracle cure. Severe pain for more than 3 days after getting the bruise, which might mean you have a broken bone. Due to the fast blood clotting factor, bruises get away quickly. to schedule with one of our coordinators. That layer of fat you had when you were younger helped cushion the blood vessels from blows. Heat can dilate (widen) the blood vessels and make your bruise even larger. Also called hematomas, these large bruises may be a sign of a more serious injury, like a broken bone. Low platelets do not help to form a clot when bleeding occurs in an individual. Tell your physician if you have recurrent bruises without any clear causes. Tell your provider if youre seeing bruises regularly, says Dr. Angelini. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. You may also have some pain and swelling. Bruising easily usually isn't a serious problem, but Jahn recommends calling your health care provider if any of these descriptions apply to your bruises. It might seem like you have permanent bruises on your arms. After a day or two, the as the oxygen from the blood cells is resorbed, and the color of the bruise changes to purple, blue or black. After youre injured, it helps if you raise it above the level of your heart. Extreme pressure in the bruised area, which could indicate a case of compartment syndrome. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Go the cold route for the first two days. If you've done a number on your nail, you might be tempted to cover it up and move on. The bruise changes color as it heals, typically lightening or turning yellow before fading completely. Football players may get bruises on their arms and legs. This issue is due to a low level of a specific protein that helps blood clotting. You would not understand why you have bruises on your body. Theres little evidence it does. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. While it takes time for a bruise to heal, you may be able to help speed along the healing process by applying an ice pack to the bruise for no more than 15 minutes every hour. Wrap it in a towel first. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2b\/Heal-a-Bruise-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Heal-a-Bruise-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2b\/Heal-a-Bruise-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Heal-a-Bruise-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"