Normally, bruises disappear little by little without needing treatment, but they can be painful and do not make a good impression, so apply ice to the area or a cold compress for the first 48 hours and massage the bruised area with arnica ointment or gel. aloe verabetter known as the aloe plant, can help reduce bruises more quickly.
Purple spots on the skin can appear as a result of a fall, hitting your leg, or another part of your body, on a coffee table or a sofa, however, these spots can also appear after undergoing cupping treatment, for example. example, and, in all these cases, homemade solutions can be recommended and complement conventional treatment, which can be done with Hirudoid ointment, for example.
In cases where the bruise does not disappear, becomes darker over the days or new bruises appear, it is important that the general practitioner or hematologist is consulted so that a general evaluation can be carried out to identify the cause of this change and thus be initiated. the most appropriate treatment.
What to do
To remove purple from your skin, some tips are:
1. Apply a cold compress
Before 48 hours have passed since the injury occurred, ice or a cold compress should be applied to the affected area, as it helps to reduce blood circulation in the region, preventing the hematoma from growing too large. This type of therapy also helps to relieve pain in the area where the purple spot on the skin is located, in addition to being an easy and quick method to apply. Know when to apply a cold compress.
The bag of ice or the package of frozen vegetables, for example, should be applied using circular movements, and it is important to protect the skin with a towel or pillowcase to avoid direct contact with the ice, as it can burn the area and / or cause pain and discomfort. It is recommended to leave it to act on the region for 15 to 20 minutes.
There are also thermal bags that are sold in markets and pharmacies that are easy to use, as you just put it in the freezer and wait 1 to 2 hours for it to freeze and then just apply it to the bruise, remembering to protect the skin with a towel.
2. Use a warm compress
To remove bruises that are more than 24 hours old, you can apply warm water compresses, as they increase local blood circulation and help remove clots that have formed. To do this, you must wet a cloth in warm water and then apply it to the area, leaving it to act for approximately 20 minutes. After 1 hour, the procedure can be repeated.
There are also bags and compresses that can be placed in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, which can be placed directly on the skin and are easily found in pharmacies and markets.
3. Homemade arnica ointment
Arnica is a medicinal plant widely used in the treatment of muscle bruises, abrasions and bruises, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
This ointment is easy to make and can be kept in a clean bottle, lasting for many days, and can be kept in the refrigerator, but before using, to make the touch more pleasant, it must remain at room temperature for a few minutes.
Ingredients
- 10 mL of liquid paraffin or beeswax melted in a water bath;
- 10 mL of arnica essential oil.
Preparation mode
Just mix the ingredients and keep them in a clean, properly covered jar. The ingredients can be found in health food stores and to use, simply apply a small amount to the purple mark, making circular movements for a few minutes.
4. Slug Gel
The aloe plant, also known as aloe vera, contains a substance called aloesin, which has anti-inflammatory action and helps reduce the pigmentation of purple spots on the skin. Check out other benefits of aloe vera.
Aloe vera gel is obtained by extracting the gel from 1 aloe leaf, which must then be applied to the bruise, remaining for 10 to 15 minutes and then removed with water. If you don’t have the plant at home, the ideal is to buy the organic gel that is sold in natural product stores.
5. Rosemary bath
Rosemary has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and the heat from the bath helps to activate circulation and absorb blood from the area, reducing pain and bruising.
Ingredients
- 4 drops of rosemary essential oil;
- 1 bowl of water.
Preparation mode
To enjoy a rosemary bath, simply place the drops of rosemary essential oil in a bowl of hot water and then wash your body. If you have a bathtub at home, you can also fill it with hot water and add about 7 drops of rosemary essential oil and relax for about 10 minutes. Discover other benefits of rosemary.
6. Apply ointments
In addition to arnica ointment, sodium heparin-based ointments, such as Trombofob or Traumeel, are great options for removing blood accumulation from the skin, whether on the arms, legs or other parts of the body, combating symptoms quickly. Another ointment widely used to remove purple marks from the skin is Hirudoid, easily found in pharmacies.
When to go to the doctor
It is advisable to seek medical help when a person presents:
- Purple marks on the skin easily, due to hitting anywhere, like the corner of the table, for example;
- Several purple marks on the body that do not hurt;
- When purple marks can be seen, but the person doesn’t even remember how they appeared;
- If the bruise appears and disappears overnight.
Furthermore, if the hematoma causes very intense pain or if there is another sign of altered circulation in the area, such as swelling of the limb or intense redness, you should also go to the hospital to check for other more serious problems such as thrombosis, for example.
Main causes
The main causes of bruises on the skin are related to trauma such as blows directly to the affected region, as can happen when playing sports, due to a fall or accidents involving heavy objects or automobiles, for example.
However, a hematoma can also appear after any reason that causes blood leakage, such as an injection, to remove blood during exams, after the use of suction cups for some alternative therapies, being very common after aesthetic procedures such as liposuction. and cryolipolysis.
Normally these bruises are not serious and disappear on their own, but using ice for the first 24 hours and then applying warm compresses can help eliminate them more quickly.
Furthermore, bruises can also appear as a result of a coagulation disease, so depending on their extent and severity, medical help should be sought, as this could indicate serious bleeding.
