How to Make a Bruise Go Away Faster

Medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Bruises often appear at the least opportune moments, creating unwanted blemishes on your skin that detract from your overall look. If you need to get rid of a bruise quickly, be it for a photo, special event, or something else, there are a number of home and professional remedies you can use to speed up the healing process.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Managing the Damage

1
Ice the bruise. Ice your bruise for about 15 minutes every few hours for the first few days after incurring a bruise. Icing reduces inflammation and swelling, helping the bruise heal quickly.^{[1]
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2
Apply a warm compress after day two. After reducing inflammation with ice, you can apply a warm compress (not hot) directly to the bruise. This will increase blood flow to the tissue and speed up the healing process.^{[2]
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3
Elevate the bruise. If your bruise is on an area that you can elevate such as one of your limbs, be sure to lift the bruise above your heart to reduce the blood flow to the bruise. Doing so will reduce swelling and discourage more blood from rushing to the bruise site and causing further discoloration. Elevation works best when performed immediately after incurring a bruise.^{[3]
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4
Do not exercise heavily. For the first day or two after receiving a bad bruise, refrain from performing heavy exercise that causes blood to pump throughout your body. The more blood that flows to the bruise, the worse it will become.
5
Massage the bruised area gently. Use your thumb to gently massage around the outer edge of the bruise. Do not press hard or attempt to massage the center of the bruise, as doing so can be painful. Be sure to massage in a small circular motion. Doing so activates the lymphatic process so that your body naturally starts to get rid of the bruise on its own.^{[4]
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6
Expose the bruise to sunlight. If you can get 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your bruise per day, the UV radiation will begin to break down bilirubin, which is what causes a bruise to yellow. Getting sunlight will help speed up this process and make your bruise disappear quicker.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Applying a Home Remedy

1
Rub vinegar and water on your bruise. Mix vinegar with warm water and rub it over the injured area. Vinegar increases the blood flow to the skin's surface, encouraging the bruised area to heal quicker.^{[6]
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2
Eat pineapple or papaya. Pineapple and papaya contain a digestive enzyme called bromelain that breaks down the proteins that can trap blood and fluids in your tissues. Eat as much pineapple as you want to absorb the bromelain and help your body flush away the bruise.^{[7]
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3
Apply and ingest vitamin C.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Take two approaches to getting enough vitamin C to quickly heal your bruise.
- First, make sure you are eating enough vitamin C by consuming foods such as oranges, mangoes, broccoli, peppers, and sweet potatoes. You can also take a vitamin C supplement to ensure that you get your daily value.
- Crush up vitamin C pills and mix with a little bit of water to create a paste. Rub it directly on the affected area and allow it to dry before removing gently with water.
4
Ingest bilberry extract. Bilberry extract contains anthocyanosides, potent antioxidants that can reduce the appearance of a bruise by stabilizing the collagen and strengthening capillaries. You can find bilberry extract in pill form at most health food stores.^{[9]
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5
Crush parsley and rub it directly on the bruise. Parsley may contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help a bruise disappear quicker.^{[10]
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6
Eat fresh ginger. Just like parsley, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a good support for your immune system. Chop up ginger and steep it in hot water for a few minutes before drinking. You can also take ginger capsules or crush up ginger and rub it directly on the bruise.
7
Mix cayenne pepper in Vaseline. Rub the mixture over the bruised area and allow it to sit for several hours. Simply wipe it off with a tissue when necessary. Apply once per day until the bruise disappears.
8
Make a comfrey root paste. Grind comfrey root and add a little bit of water to create a paste or soak a cotton ball in comfrey root tea. Apply the paste or the cotton ball to the affected area once per day until the bruise is gone.^{[11]
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9
Soak the bruise in witch hazel oil. Witch hazel can speed up the healing process and is thought to reduce inflammation. Apply the oil and allow it to sit on the affected area for several hours. Repeat at least once per day until the bruise is gone.^{[12]
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10
Use oral bromelain supplements to speed healing. Take 200-400mg of bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple, up to 3 times per day to speed healing and help the body clear a bruise after an injury.^{[13]
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PubMed Central
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- Some supplements should be avoided to keep from making bruising worse. Fish oil, omega 3 fatty acids, garlic, vitamin E, ginkgo biloba can all increase bruising. Avoid these until you’re well again.^{[14]
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11
Peel a banana. Use the inside of the peel to rub over the bruise. Eat the banana (just because it's nice).^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Medication or Cream

1
Take acetaminophen to reduce pain. Some painkillers are anti-inflammatory and can help reduce pain as well as swelling. However, avoid aspirin and ibuprofen, as they may thin your blood and make the bruise worse.
2
Apply arnica ointment or gel daily. Arnica is an herb that reduces inflammation and can help reduce the appearance of bruises quickly. It is available in cream or gel form at most drug stores. Apply a coating to the affected area twice daily until the bruise goes away.^{[16]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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3
Try topical vitamin K8 right after getting a bruise. Apply a coin-sized amount of vitamin K8 to the injury when you first get a contusion. This can help keep a bruise from forming or becoming quite so dark.^{[17]
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PubMed Central
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4
Let a leech suck on the bruise. If you have the stomach for it, and you can find a holistic medicine supply store that sells live leeches, you can place a live leech directly on the bruise. It will suck the blood off the top layer of the bruise immediately. Because the leech's saliva is somewhat numbing, you won't feel any discomfort during this process.^{[18]
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