BRUISES - COLOUR CHANGES OF BRUISES, PREVENTING AND AFTERCARE
WHAT ARE BRUISES
Bruises are puddles of blood from crushed blood vessels that are trapped under the skin.
Broken capillaries spew out their oxygenated blood, pooling at the site of injection.
CHANGING COLOURS OF BRUISES
A bruise normally starts red because oxygenated blood is bright red.
(Haemoglobin, the protein in the blood that transports oxygen around the body, contains iron which reflects red light on interaction with oxygen)
Within hours, the bruise will turn bluish-purple as surrounding cells suck up any oxygen still stuck to the leaked haemoglobin. The de-oxygenated blood seen through your skin will now appear bluish.
Soon, your body’s scavengers – white blood cells will appear and start to digest the congealed bruise-blood, producing a rainbow of products in the process ( green billverdin and yellow bilirubin).
Any remaining iron lodges in the skin as a russet brown compound called haemosiderin which lingers the longest and gives old bruises their sepia hue.
Eventually, white blood cells retreat into the bloodstream and carry away any remaining trace of colour with them.
PREVENTING BAD BRUISES
On consultation if a patient says they are prone to bruising then applying ice to the area pre- injection can help. Also for future reference taking Arnica Tablets, Bromelain (a natural Pineapple enzyme – anti-inflammatory) can help.
Patients are more likely to bruise in very hot weather or they have rushed to an appointment.
Certain medications can make patients more prone to bruising such as Aspirin, Warfarin, cod liver oil etc.
Pressure should be applied when blood leaks out of any injection point for 10 – 15 minutes to stem the flow of blood.
Blood flows slower when its colder, so applying ice to the bruised area slows the rate that blood leaks from your damaged blood vessels, resulting in a smaller bruise. At worst some bruises can last 3-4 wekks.
However skilled an injector is, it is impossible to guarantee that you will not get a bruise.