AnswersDriveBlood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes the black-and-blue color. As bruises (contusions) heal, usually within 2 to 4 weeks, they often turn colors, including purplish black, reddish blue, or yellowish green. Sometimes the area of the bruise spreads down the body in the direction of gravity.
Why do the color of bruises change?
Bruises are usually red or purple discolorations right after an injury. This is because they are the color of the blood that has pooled underneath the skin. As a bruise heals, the body breaks down blood and fluids that have accumulated under the skin. As this happens the bruise turns different colors.
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Is easy bruising a sign of anemia?
WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms easy bruising and pale skin including Anemia, Anemia, iron deficiency, and Medication reaction or side-effect. There are 19 conditions associated with easy bruising and pale skin.
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What cause bruises without injury?
A bruise, or contusion, appears on the skin due to trauma. The injury causes tiny blood vessels called capillaries to burst. Blood gets trapped below the skin's surface, which causes a bruise.
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Why do my bruises turn brown?
Because the outer skin is not cut or broken, there is no external bleeding. However, damage occurs to blood vessels underneath the skin, causing them to rupture and leak blood. At first, the skin is often red or purplish in color, but later on, as the bruise heals, it may turn brown, green, or yellow.
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How long does it take to recover from a bone bruise?
Most bone bruises slowly heal over 2 to 4 months. A larger bone bruise may take longer to heal. You may not be able to return to sports activities for weeks or months. If your symptoms don't go away, your health care provider may give you an MRI.
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Why do I get bruises easily?
Easy bruising can occur when the blood vessels are weakened by diseases (such as scurvy), medications (such as aspirin, prednisone, and prednisolone), and aging. Easy bruising can also occur because of absent or deficient blood-clotting elements.
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Why do you get bruises for no reason?
These bruises result from microscopic tears in blood vessels under the skin. Unexplained bruises that occur easily or for no apparent reason may indicate a bleeding disorder, especially if the bruising is accompanied by frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
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How do you know when a bruise is serious?
Severe bruising (harm score 2-3) may be dangerous or cause serious complications. Further bleeding and excess fluid may accumulate causing a hard, fluctuating lump or swelling hematoma. This has the potential to cause compartment syndrome as the swelling cuts off blood flow to the tissues.
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What does green mean in a bruise?
Bruises close to the surface in people with light-toned skin will often look black or blue initially because of the blood accumulating under the skin. However, over time the pigment in blood begins to break down and turn from black/blue to yellow/green shades.
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How long does a bruise take to heal?
Within the first five days the hemoglobin inside the blood changes and the bruise turns into the color of a bluish-purple or even black. Between five and ten days, the bruise usually becomes slightly green or yellow. Then, after 10 or 14 days, it finally becomes a yellowish-brown or light brown.
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Why do the color of bruises change?
Bruises are usually red or purple discolorations right after an injury. This is because they are the color of the blood that has pooled underneath the skin. As a bruise heals, the body breaks down blood and fluids that have accumulated under the skin. As this happens the bruise turns different colors.
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Can bruises swell?
Injury to the skin may also break small blood vessels under the skin and cause more swelling and bruising than you would expect. Rapid swelling or bruising that begins immediately after a skin injury often means there is a large amount of bleeding or that damage to deeper tissues is present.
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How long is too long for a bruise to last?
Within 1 or 2 days, the hemoglobin (an iron-containing substance that carries oxygen) in the blood changes and your bruise turns bluish-purple or even blackish. After 5 to 10 days, the bruise turns greenish or yellowish. Then, after 10 or 14 days, it turns yellowish-brown or light brown.
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Why do you bruise easier when you get older?
Generally, harder blows cause larger bruises. Some people — especially women — are more prone to bruising than others. As you get older, your skin also becomes thinner and loses some of the protective fatty layer that helps cushion your blood vessels from injury.
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Can you get a blood clot from a bruise?
A regular bruise is more spread out and may not feel like a firm lump. A hematoma usually is not a cause for concern. It is not the same thing as a blood clot in a vein, and it does not cause blood clots. Bruises that do not appear to be caused by an accidental injury may be caused by abuse.
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Why is my bruise yellow and purple?
Initially, a bruise is red because the hemoglobin in your blood is full of oxygen and iron. It's responsible for the green hue of the bruise that often appears a few days after the injury. As your bruise fades, it takes on a yellow tint. This is because the biliverdin breaks down and produces bilirubin.
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What does Leukemia look like?
One symptom that people with leukemia might notice is tiny red spots on their skin. These pinpoints of blood are called petechiae. The red spots are caused by tiny broken blood vessels, called capillaries, under the skin. Normally, platelets, the disc-shaped cells in the blood, help the blood clot.
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Why is my bruise purple?
Within a day or so of impact, your bruise will darken to blue or purple. This is caused by both low oxygen supplies and swelling at the bruising site. As a result, hemoglobin, which is typically red, begins a gradual change to blue. This darkening can last through the fifth day after injury.
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What diseases cause unexplained bruising?
Here are six possible reasons for unexplained bruising, ranging from the easily remedied to some concerning problems.
- Vitamin Deficiency. Certain vitamins have a role in making blood, clotting cuts, and healing wounds.
- Aging.
- Von Willebrand Disease.
- Weightlifting.
- Diabetes.
- Thrombocytopenia.
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Is hematoma bad?
A hematoma is a larger collection of blood, usually caused by surgery, injury, or a greater trauma. Hematomas will usually reabsorb into the body, like a bruise. However, depending on the size, location and cause of the hematoma, the area may need to be drained surgically, or take a longer period of time to resolve.