How to Get Rid of Bruises Fast
Ice your bruise immediately after the injury., Elevate the bruised area., Use Vick's Vapor Rub to help blood leave the area., Rest after the injury.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ice your bruise immediately after the injury.
Putting something cold on the bruise will reduce swelling and bruising when applied quickly.
Fill a bag with ice and cover it with a thin towel, then apply to the bruised area.
Put ice on the area for 20 minutes every hour for the first 3-5 hours after the injury.
You can also use bag of frozen vegetables like corn or peas.
Wrap the bag in a towel or T-shirt, and lay it over the bruise.
Flexible gel-filled ice packs, specifically designed for injuries, are available from sports shops.
Athletes usually keep a few on-hand to fight bruises.
As always, do not use ice directly on bare skin or for more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid further damage to tissues.
If the bruise is already 2-3 days old then ice still may help with the healing, but not as much in the size of the bruise. -
Step 2: Elevate the bruised area.
Reduce blood flow to the area with gravity's help.
Lifting the bruised area so that it's above your heart will prevent blood from pooling in the bruised area, and reduce discoloration.
If the bruise is on your leg, settle onto the couch and rest your leg on top of a few pillows.
If your leg is even a few inches above your heart, you're good.
If your arm is bruised, try to prop it up on an armrest or a few pillows, so that it's at heart-level or above.
If your torso is bruised, you might be out of luck.
Focus on icing the area instead. , Applying the Vick's salve to the area will cause the blood to transfer deeper into the tissue to where it will not be as visible at the surface.
It works better if applied immediately after the injury. , If you continue exercising and moving, you increase your heart rate and pump more damaged blood to your bruise, causing it to get bigger.
Let your body heal itself, and the bruise will disappear more quickly.
Call it a day and cool off to prevent further injury and give your bruise a chance to heal.
Hang out on the couch.
Watch a movie, play a game, read a book — do something that doesn't require much physical activity.
Head to bed early.
Your body needs sleep to repair itself, so hit the hay as soon as you feel tired. -
Step 3: Use Vick's Vapor Rub to help blood leave the area.
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Step 4: Rest after the injury.
Detailed Guide
Putting something cold on the bruise will reduce swelling and bruising when applied quickly.
Fill a bag with ice and cover it with a thin towel, then apply to the bruised area.
Put ice on the area for 20 minutes every hour for the first 3-5 hours after the injury.
You can also use bag of frozen vegetables like corn or peas.
Wrap the bag in a towel or T-shirt, and lay it over the bruise.
Flexible gel-filled ice packs, specifically designed for injuries, are available from sports shops.
Athletes usually keep a few on-hand to fight bruises.
As always, do not use ice directly on bare skin or for more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid further damage to tissues.
If the bruise is already 2-3 days old then ice still may help with the healing, but not as much in the size of the bruise.
Reduce blood flow to the area with gravity's help.
Lifting the bruised area so that it's above your heart will prevent blood from pooling in the bruised area, and reduce discoloration.
If the bruise is on your leg, settle onto the couch and rest your leg on top of a few pillows.
If your leg is even a few inches above your heart, you're good.
If your arm is bruised, try to prop it up on an armrest or a few pillows, so that it's at heart-level or above.
If your torso is bruised, you might be out of luck.
Focus on icing the area instead. , Applying the Vick's salve to the area will cause the blood to transfer deeper into the tissue to where it will not be as visible at the surface.
It works better if applied immediately after the injury. , If you continue exercising and moving, you increase your heart rate and pump more damaged blood to your bruise, causing it to get bigger.
Let your body heal itself, and the bruise will disappear more quickly.
Call it a day and cool off to prevent further injury and give your bruise a chance to heal.
Hang out on the couch.
Watch a movie, play a game, read a book — do something that doesn't require much physical activity.
Head to bed early.
Your body needs sleep to repair itself, so hit the hay as soon as you feel tired.
About the Author
Brandon Chavez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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