3.Many Colors
As you heal, an iron-rich substance in your blood — called hemoglobin — breaks down into other compounds. This process makes your bruise change colors:
4.What to Do About Them
Cold can help with swelling and may shrink the size of your black-and-blue mark. It also slows blood flow to the area, so less of it ends up leaking into your tissues. When you first get a bruise, take a bag of frozen veggies or fill a plastic bag with ice, wrap it in a towel, and gently put it on the injured area. Leave it there 15 to 20 minutes, take it off for 30 minutes or so, then put it back on.
