Why a bruise turns different colors

Whether you bump into a coffee table or fall while playing a sport, seeing a colorful bruise the next day can be alarming. The good news is that bruising is a completely normal process as your body heals.

Bruises occur when small blood vessels under your skin are damaged. That blood leaks into the surrounding tissue and gets trapped under your skin. It’s similar to how blood pools out from a cut – except it pools under your skin instead.

“The appearance of a bruise changes over time, and you can tell how old a bruise is and where it is in the process of healing by observing its color,” says Dr. Jennette Berry, a family medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “Bruises can also appear differently on various skin tones.”

Bruise colors

Bruises typically follow this color progression:

• New bruise: Red from the blood just under your skin.
• Days 1 and 2: Bluish or purplish as the swelling limits oxygen and hemoglobin causes the bruise to darken.
• Day 6: Greenish color as hemoglobin breaks down during the healing process.
• Day 8 and 9: Yellow or brown color as the body absorbs the blood.

Bruise healing

While most bruises follow the typical color progression, not everyone will see every color and the timeline can vary. Other factors, like how deep the bruise is, where it’s located and how much blood pooled under the skin, can also influence the healing process. For example, deeper bruises may look darker and take longer to fade.

Age can also play a role in the healing process. As skin naturally thins over time, blood vessels can become more fragile, making bruises more noticeable and slower to heal. Certain medications, including blood thinners, aspirin and some supplements, can also affect how easily a person bruises and how long bruises last.

“Most bruises will disappear in about two weeks,” Dr. Berry adds. “If it doesn’t change colors or heal properly, a hematoma may have formed and would need to be drained by a doctor.”

While less common, a hematoma is a larger, clotted pool of blood that forms outside a blood vessel and doesn’t break down like a normal bruise. They usually occur after significant injuries or trauma and often feel firm, swollen, painful and don’t fade the same way as a bruise.

When to see a doctor

While most bruises are harmless, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor if you notice:

• Bruises that appear without a known injury
• Bruises that are unusually large, painful or slow to heal
• Frequent bruising that seems new or worsening
• Bruising along with other bleeding symptoms, such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums

Questions about a bruise or injury? Find a doctor in Illinois or Wisconsin.