Non-discriminatory, bruises affect everyone both old and young, and all skin types and tones. With proper skincare, these unsightly marks can be soothed and minimized.
Whether you’ve been prone to bruising your whole life, or have just recently begun to notice these tell-tale purplish marks, there’s no doubt about it: bruising isn’t pretty. Just why do bruises seem to plague some skin types more than others? The answers might surprise you.
What are they?
Bruises have a variety of causes: trauma to the skin, certain medications and even some diseases can leave bruises behind as a side-effect. Before attempting to treat a bruise, be sure to consult with a doctor or dermatologist to rule out a medical condition. Once medical conditions have been ruled out as the cause of a bruise, it is then safe to treat the mark as a cosmetic disorder. Although it may be impossible to completely stop the skin from bruising, there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent excessive bruising and speed the healing process when they do occur.
How do you get them?
Bruises result when small blood vessels, or capillaries, near the surface of the skin rupture from physical damage: bumps, cuts, scrapes or similar traumas. Once the vessel has ruptured, blood pools under the skin, leaving behind a purple-blue mark as the tissue repairs itself. Although all people are susceptible to bruises after major impacts to the skin, some people are more prone to bruising than others. Why is this? Is it hereditary? Possibly. Family members may find they all share a propensity to bruise easily. Sometimes it can be as simple as skin tone. Fair-skinned folks are more likely to see frequent bruises due to the fact that their blood vessels show more clearly through pale skin. Also, those with type-O blood tend to bruise more easily due to the chemical composition of O-blood cells.
Additionally, aging may contribute to bruising. As we mature, the tissues which support capillaries weaken, making them more susceptible to rupturing. And, the skin loses some of the protective fatty layer that cushions blood vessels against injury. Environment may also play a role. Prolonged, excessive exposure to UV radiation not only damages the cells and causes environmental aging; it may also thin the skin, resulting in a higher likelihood of bruising.
Treatment
It has been suggested that diet plays a critical part in helping the body protect itself against bruising. Fortifying the body with a diet rich in vitamin K is not only easy, it’s delicious. Known for its ability to help blood clot, vitamin K can be found in spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale and mustard greens. Bio-flavonoids are also very beneficial to the skin and can be found in citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime.
One of the best ways to help speed healing of a bruise is by applying ice every few hours for the first day after the injury occurs. The ice helps constrict the blood vessels and reduce the size of the bruise.
Other treatment options include using witch hazel on the bruise, or applying an ointment made with the herb arnica. Arnica may be used externally to heal tissues, reduce pain and increase circulation. Ultimately, as the body re-absorbs the blood, the bruise will fade and go away on its own.
Product Picks
Topical vitamin K, which encourages blood clotting, has been used to reduce unsightly bruising. Try Donell Super Skin K-Derm Gel or DDF Nutrient K Plus to help facilitate the healing process and strengthen damaged blood vessels.
<>If you find yourself with a bruise that you need to hide, don’t forget about good old-fashioned concealer or foundation, especially if the bruising is intense, or on a visible area such as the face. Try
Philosophy Supernatural Concealer or
Philosophy Supernatural Air Brushed Canvas SPF 15. Also, a moisturizer designed to reduce redness and help heal broken capillaries is a great choice:
Murad Recovery Treatment Gel, applied to the bruise twice a day may help reduce the purple-blue tone of the bruise, as well as the tenderness.
Special considerations
If you do find yourself with a bruise, consider forgoing ibuprofen or aspirin for the pain. These types of medicines are anti-coagulants and prevent the blood from clotting which could potentially increase the severity and size of the bruise. Also, garlic, ginger and ginkgo biloba are also blood thinners, so be cautious of taking these herbs if you tend to bruise easily.
Bruising may be a fact of life, but it needn’t make an everyday mark on your skin. Follow these simple skincare tips for bright, beautiful, bruise-free skin!