Following a shock, bruises (or bruises) and hematomas appear quickly: they are due to a bursting of the small subcutaneous capillaries under the effect of the trauma while the surface of the skin is intact. So nothing serious. But sometimes they appear because of certain diseases or treatments.
Bruise and hematoma are different. Even without an apparent wound, a major shock causes a diffuse effusion of blood under the skin. This bruise results in the following hours in a bruise on the body which, over the days, will become yellow or greenish before disappearing. If the blood effusion occurs deeper under the skin and forms a pocket, the area swells and deforms. Doctors then speak ofhematoma. If it lasts more than three days, it is better to consult.
What is the resorption time of a hematoma?As a rule, bruises and hematomas heal spontaneously within a few weeks maximum (bruises regress faster than hematomas). The color of the skin changes, successively, from dark red to black in 48 to 72 hours. At the end of the first week, it turns purplish then green or yellow before fading.
In video: How to make a bruise disappear faster
You can get bruises when you get older
When you age, two things happen to your skin: it loses some of its protective layers of fat, and collagen production decreases. This means your thinner skin is also more susceptible to even the slightest bruising. “After 60 years, all it takes is one stroke, which may appear mild, to see a bruise appear on the body“explains Professor Gary Goldenberg, from the dermatology department of Mount Sinai Hospital.
You can get bruises from too much sun exposure.
Your long love affair with the sun may have sometimes caused you a few burning sunburns. But the damage caused by frequent UV exposure goes deeper: as the rays penetrate the deep layers of the skin, they act on the small blood vessels, making them more fragile. They therefore leak blood more easily. The skin marks quicklyeven following slight contusions.
You can get bruises if you take aspirin every day
Many people take a low dose aspirin every day to prevent cardiovascular risks. But we must not forget that aspirin, like anticoagulants, makes the blood more fluid and prevents platelets from clotting. This is why taking aspirin daily increases the risk of intestinal bleeding in seniors. But also why, even minor trauma will show bruising.
You can have bruises if you suffer from vasculitis
This medical term includes all diseases involving inflammation of the walls of blood vessels. This inflammation causes the blood vessels to burst and cause some unusual hematomas called purpura.
Most vasculitis is caused by autoimmune diseases, but it can also be due to a chronic disease such as hepatitis. This is why it is important to consult the doctor if you see the appearance of one (or more) purplish-red spots on your skin that do not turn white when pressed.
You can have bruises when you have a vitamin C deficiency
Real vitamin deficiencies are quite rare in Western countries, but they become more frequent as we get older and lose the taste or the desire to eat a balanced diet. Vitamin C deficiency can therefore occur in the elderly but also in alcoholics. However, this vitamin is necessary for the production of collagen, a structural component of the skin. Without vitamin C, blood vessels are no longer protected and are more likely to rupture at the slightest muscle contusion.
Treating a hematoma: when should you consult the doctor?
When you see a bruise or hematoma appear, just put an ice pack on the affected area for about twenty minutes (max) to reduce the pain and limit its extension. The result is even better if the cold is applied quickly. In combination with ice, you can also apply an arnica-based cream or gel. Caution, however: the gel is contraindicated in case of wounds.
But even if it does not occur to us to go see the doctor to treat a hematoma, a consultation is sometimes necessary. Especially when:
- the “bruises” appear spontaneously and for no reason on the body
- the hematoma does not resolve
- the hematoma under the nail becomes very painful, despite the measures you have taken.
We consult urgently if:
- L’hematoma appears on the scalp following a blow to the skull and the person loses consciousness, has impaired consciousness or suffers from tingling in the arms or legs.
- Blue appears “in glasses” (i.e. around both eyes) after a shock to the skull. It may indeed be a fracture of a bone in the skull.
- The hematoma is located at the level of the purses (caused by trauma to the testicles).
- The hematoma, located on the pavilion of the ear, is voluminous.
- The bruise or hematoma appears after a violent and direct impact on the eye or following a shock or a blow in the stomach or on the thorax.
- The hematoma, instead of stabilizing, becomes hot and painful and increases in volume.
