Before I go any further, I must add a comment. If you are starting to bruise easily, or for no apparent reason, see your doctor to make sure you do not have a serious medical problem or a problem with one of your medications.
As soon as the trauma causing the bruise happens, your body's defense mechanisms rally to protect you. A hormone, endothelin, narrows the blood vessels to minimize bleeding. Amazing and efficient clotting factors begin their work to create a temporary clot to plug the leaking blood vessels and healing begins. The bright colors of the bruise are caused by the white blood cells starting to clean up the debris and the breakdown of red blood cells and hemoglobin into its many parts. The hemoglobin produces the bright red color. It's the breakdown of the hemoglobin that creates the green (biliverdin), the yellow (bibirubin), and the golden-brown (hemosiderin) colors you see as the bruise heals. As these products are cleaned up and swept away, the bruise disappears and healing is complete.
Ugly and inconvenient as they are, most bruises are simple. They usually require little or no treatment and go away in about two weeks after going through the color changes noted above. If the bruise is very large, very painful, or on your head, see a doctor to make sure you do not have a fracture or more extensive damage that could complicate your recovery.
The treatment for a simple bruise is ice and elevation of the bruised body part. Ice will slow the amount of blood collecting in the area and keep the inflammation down. Elevation above the level of your heart will reduce the amount of blood flow to the area. Rest is essential for healing any injury. If the bruise is very painful, the pain killer (Tylenol, Advil, or motrin) you usually use will help the pain.
Be patient, having a bruise is not fun. An uncomplicated bruise is not attractive but it is not serious, either. Endure the smiles from well meaning friends because you can get them back eventually ------ everybody bruises.
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