Bruises appear on your skin when the tiny blood vessels underneath get damaged because of an impact. No matter how you get a bruise, it will normally take approximately 2-3 weeks to fade away, depending on how severe it is. If you don’t want to wait, you can assist bruise healing using some of these common remedies to help speed up the process.
5 ways to help heal a bruise
Bruising can be painful and unsightly. But you don’t need to wait for it to subside, as these common remedies described below will help you get rid of it quickly. Let’s explore the options you have.
- Try Ice Therapy
As soon as you get an injury, put some ice on the bruise to heal it. Ice Therapy helps keep the bruise small but also can help it to heal faster. Applying an ice pack to the injured area slows down the blood flow in that region, making sure a lot of blood doesn’t leak out of the vessels.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to apply ice directly to the bruise. Instead, wrap it in a paper towel or washcloth to protect the skin.
- Use Arnica Gel
Arnica is a herb that’s been used as a medicine for centuries. Among other uses, Arnica has proven benefits for bruising and can clear up the bruises on your skin faster. According to a 2010 study, the topical application of 20% Arnica ointment twice every day for a couple of weeks helped relieve bruising.
You can simply apply a cream or Arnica gel for bruises to the affected area and will soon see the bruise fading away.
- Apply Some Heat
Heating the bruised area will increase blood flow and can effectively heal a bone bruise! Just don’t apply a warm compress or a heating pad to the bruised area for the first 48 hours, at least. After that, you can apply heat to your bruises multiple times a day. It is also a good idea to submerge yourself into a hot bath to loosen up the muscles and relieve pain.
- Apply A Bromelain Cream Or Gel/Supplement
Just like Arnica, Bromelain is another wonder ingredient that can help relieve bruises quickly. It’s a mixture of enzymes present in the pineapple plant. The anti-inflammatory properties of these enzymes are helpful in reducing bruising and inflammation. Topical application of a cream or bruise gel, like Bruise MD, a couple of times a day can help relieve bruising easily and quickly. Besides, Bromelain supplements can also help relieve bruises. Supplements like our BruiseMD Supplement can help aid in recovery as well and it is recommended to take bruise supplements twice a day orally.
- Use Compression
You can also wrap the bruising site with an elastic bandage to squeeze the soft tissues in the surroundings and prevent further leakage from blood vessels. Whenever you sustain an injury, compression can make the bruises less severe, alleviate inflammation, and reduce pain.
Is There Anything Like A Bruise-Healing Diet?
What you eat impacts your health significantly, and it can even help heal bruises and injuries. Foods you eat can help with bruise-healing either by strengthening your blood vessels or keeping your skin flexible and healthy. Try adding the following foods to your diet to promote bruise prevention and healing:
- Pineapples
- Fruits that have natural quercetin (citrus, apples, leafy greens)
- Lean Protein
- Foods that have vitamin K (kale, broccoli, spinach, soybeans, lettuce, etc.)
- Foods that are rich sources of Zinc (pumpkin seeds, crab, lobster, etc.)
Bruises are often painful and may take a few weeks to heal. However, some practices described above can fast-track healing and soon make your skin bruise-free. To get the best results, try combining a couple of remedies from the list to help you heal a bruise more quickly.
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