Red Purple Bruise

Bruising on the back of the hands and arms is common. Dermatologists call it ‘actinic purpura’, ‘solar purpura’ or ‘Bateman’s purpura’. These flat blotches start out red, then turn purple, darken a bit further and eventually fade. They differ from normal bruises in several ways.

This is because they are the color of the blood that has pooled underneath the skin . As a bruise heals, the body breaks down blood and fluids that have accumulated under the skin. As this happens the bruise turns different colors. Within the first few days after getting a bruise, the area may become a black mark, blue mark, or purple mark.

Some wounds turn purple as a direct result of broken blood vessels similar to a bruise. Your body is sending inflammation chemicals to the site of the wound to try and speed up the healing process.

Most bruises are caused by some form of blunt force trauma to blood vessels under the skin. When these blood vessels break open, blood begins to pour into the surrounding tissue. This blood pools under the skin and initially looks dark purple or deep red.

Bruises without injuries can be caused by thinning of the skin which could be caused by a number of factors. Some medication when taken for too long could lead to bruising without injuries. Aspirin is one such drug. It leads to coagulation changes which then lead to spontaneous hematoma.

What Do the Different Colors of Bruises Mean? Bruises are usually red or purple discolorations right after an injury. This is because they are the color of the blood that has pooled underneath the skin. As a bruise heals, the body breaks down blood and fluids that have accumulated under the skin.

When you bang yourself hard enough to break capillaries (the little blood vessels everywhere in our body), the release of blood leaks outside the capillaries, thus starting the progress of a colorful bruise under your skin. When we don’t break the skin, a bruise forms.

It often starts red because fresh, oxygen-rich blood has newly pooled underneath the skin. After around 1–2 days, the blood begins to lose oxygen and change color. A bruise that is a few days old will often appear blue, purple, or even black.

A bruise that is a few days old will often appear blue, purple, or even black. In about 5–10 days, it turns a yellow or green color. These colors come from compounds called biliverdin and bilirubin that the body produces when it breaks down hemoglobin. After 10–14 days, it will turn to a shade of yellowish-brown or light brown.

Allow the ice packs or cold compress to soothe the bruises for 20 to 30 minutes or until the skin feels numb. Cold compress slows down the blood flow around the injury reducing the severity of bruises. If the pain is too severe to bear, then taking anti-inflammatory pain relievers may be helpful.

Trauma is a common cause of a black bruise. Bruises go through many colors as they heal, and tend to look much worse before they look better. A black bruise is often a sign of abuse.

More bleeding under the skin may cause the spots to turn dark red or deep purple . The rash may resemble large bruises . It’s harder to see the rash on darker skin. If you suspect meningitis , check lighter areas like the palms, eyelids, and inside the mouth.

Bruising without an injury can be a sign of diseases of the kidney, liver and blood such as hemophilia, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, multiple myeloma, scurvy and thrombocytopenia. Women who experience heavy periods while bruising should consult a gynecologist to rule out conditions affecting the reproductive organs.

A person should seek medical attention any time they have the following symptoms or issues associated with bruising: a suspected broken bone. loss of function of a joint, limb or muscle. increasing pain. an area is affected by a bruise that returns. there is no identifiable cause of the bruising.

If you have petechiae or bruising on the legs or calves that won’t heal, it could be due to a shortage of platelets . Some conditions that can cause this are: Certain medications can also affect platelet counts, such as: