When will my bruises go away?

August 2, 2007 5:55 AM

Two months ago, someone hit me hard on both of my arms. I still have marks. When will they go away?

After that person hit me, I got big bruises on my arms for two to three weeks. I thought they had gone, they don't hurt anymore but I can still see slight marks. I don't think people around me notice them but I'm pretty sure they would if I pointed them out.

Is that normal to still have marks two months later? How long does it usually take for bruises to go away? What can I do to make them go away? I applied some cream for a few days after I got hit but it was to relieve the pain, not to make the bruises disappear. I'm a healthy, 23 year old woman. However, I know that I have a sensitive skin. When someone touches me or when I scratch myself, I get red marks on my skin that go away minutes later (I suffer from rash and dermatitis and something else that makes my skin react to the touch), but I don't know if it applies to bruises.

I'm getting worried. I'm pretty tanned right now, and if these bruises stay for too long, I'm afraid that people will be able to see them when my sun tan goes away.

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (12 comments total)

I think (but am *not* sure) that bruises that take a long time to heal can be a sign of Vitamin K deficiency. Try eating a healthier diet or taking a multivitamin.

I'd also be inclined to visit the doctor.
posted by Solomon at 6:14 AM on August 2, 2007

DTMFA.

(and see a doctor to make sure there's no bigger issue other than time. I wouldn't be too worried, but it is something worth running past a doc after this amount of time)
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 6:56 AM on August 2, 2007

Blueberries are supposed to be good for people who bruise easily and to help get rid of bruises.
posted by frecklefaerie at 7:10 AM on August 2, 2007

WTF DTMFA?
posted by smackfu at 8:07 AM on August 2, 2007

DTMFA = Dump The Mother Fucker Already.
I think he's implying that the bruises came from an abusive relationship.

I've never had bruises last that long.. and I bruise really easily, and they often stay for a while, if they're really large/deep. It couldn't hurt to get it checked out by a doctor and get bloodwork done just in case.
posted by j at 8:40 AM on August 2, 2007

Any chance you are diabetic? We are slow healers, and scratches and bruises take a very long time for me, and sometimes the evidence of them remains forever (especially scratches).
posted by genefinder at 9:04 AM on August 2, 2007

Two months is a long time. I would see a doctor. In the meantime, you could try some arnica topical gel or cream which I've found really helpful in the past. You can find it at natural food stores or on-line. I'm fairly sure Whole Foods carries it, though it will be pricier there than elsewhere, I would imagine.

Anecdotally, I used to bruise very easily and still go through periods where I'm a little lazy with my nutrition and the bruising starts up again. I find that when I lay off sugar and eat tons of greens - spinach, kale, chard - and plenty of vegetables, I get back to normal within about ten days. A good quality vegetable juice like Kagome is a healthy, low sodium substitute if you are pressed for time, particularly in the morning. All varieties I've tried are delicious. Also available on-line, natural food stores or Whole Foods.

Also, as I'm sure you're aware, please endeavor to stay away from whomever punched you so hard in the arms that you're marked up two months hence, if at all possible.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 9:11 AM on August 2, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I have similar problems with really deep bruises, and find that bananas, a daily multivitamin, and improving (or at least not restricting, like by sleeping on the bruises) the circulation in the area are key. When you shower, let each arm get a bit of time with the running water for circulation; you're getting rid of a large pool of clotted blood from a fleshy area, it's going to take time. I once got shot in the thigh with a bottle rocket on New Year's Eve and still had a faint green bullseye in the summer.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:14 AM on August 2, 2007

You can use a soft hairbrush to gently brush over the bruises. It'll help disperse some of the pooled blood. (You may remember this from high school - using a toothbrush over a hickey.)

All advice about increased nutrition and decreased contact with punchers is nth'd.
posted by 26.2 at 11:00 AM on August 2, 2007

Arnica works wonders.

I sure hope you have managed to put serious distance between yourself and the abusive person.
posted by solongxenon at 11:17 AM on August 2, 2007

When someone touches me or when I scratch myself, I get red marks on my skin that go away minutes later (I suffer from rash and dermatitis and something else that makes my skin react to the touch)

I know this is late, and not an answer to your question, but just so you have a name for it, this condition is dermographism. I don't think it's related to bruising.
posted by booksandlibretti at 3:18 PM on August 7, 2007

'Ground zero' shall we say is still visible over 2 years later. You know like when you go blotchy from the cold? Yeah like that. It's about the size of a milk cap or the outline of a golf ball. It took the longest to 'fade' and is situated an inch and 1/4 above my ankle bone but the original bruising spilled just to the underside of my heel. Like something was spilled down my sock and had seeped under.

Is it one of the nastiest bruises you've ever had? Because I would have to say, No maybe it won't.

No I'm just being a cunt.

Seriously though I bruise really really easy and have also been involved with fuckbags so unless you have thumb prints and other tell tale signs (think like how animal trackers know what it is they are tracking) only some people are going to know. (IF they have a feeling they should look or you are just unlucky).

And mine had this weird hard lump? that I've just noticed is gone now. G.Z. is still there but no lump. Is that good? I don't know? How long does the average bruise take to fade? Can't say I've ever timed one? (Btw I was speechless to discover G.Z. going strong well over 6 months later so after a year or so I just figured it was a keeper). The colour has always registered though. Two on average and 3-4 if it's bad. More than that and it was obviously worse than I thought.

If anyone says anything and they should know you well enough to know that you bruise easy, you can just look at them like they're being fucking stupid and quite frankly you're a little offended!

Oh yeah I'm 23, healthy with sensitive skin. Roceacia runs in my family and I had my first Dermititis *(it's so new and unfamiliar I don't even know how it's said) from cleaning chemicals (I suspect) on my hand. No tan? - get a spray tan. Learn which colours are and are not your friend. For example the right shade of teal makes my skin translucent white... The right pink creates a very solid peaches and cream.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 1:18 PM on August 8, 2007