A bruise typically appears after you’ve injured the tissue below the skin’s surface. It could appear just minutes or even hours after banging your knee on the coffee table or falling down. Any kind of injury that causes the capillaries to rupture may result in a bruise. But the color of the bruise can tell you a lot.

1. Pink or Red – When a bruise first starts to appear it may give off a red or pink color because the oxygen-rich blood is leaking into your tissues from the punctured blood vessels. This stage rarely lasts long which is why most people don’t notice a bruise until it starts getting darker colored.

2. Dark Purple or Blue – As the red blood cells start to break down, the bruise will progress to a deep purple or blue color. The purple hues are also a result of your blood cells losing oxygen as the cells leak into the tissues. This gives your blood a blueish hue.

3. Green – A green bruise is typically a sign that your bruise is healing. As your body continues to break down the blood cells it turns your hemoglobin into biliverdin, a green bile pigment that turns your skin green.

4. Yellow or Brown – This coloration means that your bruise is almost completely healed. When the biliverdin starts breaking down it can give the skin a yellow or brown look. Once those are reabsorbed or excreted from the body, your bruise will completely disappear.

Most bruises take up to two weeks to heal, but others that are more severe can take longer. Doctors recommend applying firm pressure and ice to an injured area to seal the blood vessels shut and reduce inflammation. If you have a bruise that doesn’t seem to be healing, be sure to have your doctor evaluate it and make sure it isn’t something more serious.

Did you find this information helpful? Be sure to share it with your family and friends so they can take better care of themselves too.