If you’re like me, you hate having to hide your legs when the weather warms up because you have embarrassing bruises. Sometimes you know how you got the bruise — such as bumping into the table in the middle of the night — but a lot of the time you never remember even injuring yourself.

That’s because tiny capillaries can lead to a bruise if they experience any change, including decreased collagen, thinning skin, or damage to the capillary walls.

Some areas like your shin are more likely to bruise because the capillaries have less cushion, but vitamin deficiency can also cause bruising due to abnormal clotting. While bruises are just a part of life, there are things you can do to get rid of bruises faster.

If you do nothing, it may take many days or weeks for those dark red or purple bruises to eventually fade to a yellow-green and then a golden color before disappearing.

Want to wear your new shorts or sundress and bare your legs sooner? Here are 20 natural home remedies on how to get rid of a bruise fast.

1. Use an ice pack to the affected area

If you have a small or simple bruise from very slight trauma, an easy way to speed healing is an ice pack. Applying an ice pack soon after the injury works to constrict the broken blood capillaries while reducing leakage under your skin. You will still get the bruise, but it will be smaller, less painful, and easier to heal.

You will need

A home ice pack

Directions

Ice your bruise within 24 hours of injury. You can also use an elastic bandage to slow blood flow in the area and reduce bleeding to further reduce the size of the bruise.

Tip/Note:

Don’t leave the ice pack on your skin for too long! Apply ice for about 15 minutes at a time and put a washcloth or towel between your skin and the ice.

2. Apply heat to the affected area

Warmth reduces blood clots and slows blood flow to the damaged blood vessels and capillaries. Applying heat to a bruise should be done after you have cooled the bruise for 24 hours.

There are several ways to do this, including an electric heating pad for 20 minutes a few times a day, using a warm compress like a hot water bottle, or taking a warm bath.

You will need

An electric heating pad or warm water.

Directions

The easiest way to apply heat to a bruise is by using an electric heating pad for no more than 20 minutes at a time. You can also make a heat compress with rice in a microwavable bag or filling a water bottle with hot water.

Tip/Note:

Try mixing vinegar with warm water. Vinegar boosts blood flow near the surface of the skin to dissipate the blood pooled around the bruise. Witch hazel can also work in the same way. This tip works if you apply warm water directly to the bruise, such as in a bath.

3. Get more vitamin K

Vitamin K has been found to reduce blood leakage to reduce the severity of bruises, especially if you apply a vitamin K cream soon after the trauma to the skin.

If you’re prone to bruising, the problem may be that you have a vitamin K deficiency. You’re more likely to have a vitamin K deficiency if you take antibiotics or don’t eat enough dark green vegetables.

You will need

High-quality vitamin K supplements.

Discuss supplements with your physician to ensure they will not interfere with any medication you take. You can also get vitamin K from foods, especially leafy, dark green vegetables. Examples of foods with vitamin K include kale, spring onions, brussels sprouts, and asparagus.

Directions

Take vitamin K supplements as directed but do not go over the recommended dosage.

Tip/Note:

Vitamin K supplements can be combined with vitamin C supplements. Vitamin C deficiency can also cause bruising.

4. Take a pineapple enzyme supplement

If you have a bruise that is very large or the result of a deeper soft-tissue injury, a pineapple enzyme called bromelain may help. This enzyme can speed healing and may help your body get rid of the metabolic waste from the injury.

You will need

200 to 400 mg quality bromelain supplement.

Directions

Take between 200 and 400 mg of bromelain three times a day on an empty stomach, or at least 90 minutes to 3 hours before you eat.

5. Take a vitamin C supplement

Vitamin C deficiency is a common cause of frequent or unexplained bruising. Not sure if you have a deficiency? Watch for these warning signs of vitamin C deficiency then talk to your physician about supplements.

Even minor vitamin C deficiencies can lead to increased bruising, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that promotes collagen formation and reduces inflammation. It also helps the body absorb minerals. The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimates that about 31% of people in the U.S. do not get enough vitamin C.

You will need

At least 90 mg vitamin C supplement

A supplement with 400 mg flavonoids like hesperidin may also help reduce bruising.

Directions

How much vitamin C you need each day depends on your age. Take vitamin C during breakfast, especially if you drink orange juice as it boosts the absorption of iron.

6. Try Arnica Gel

Arnica is a home bruise remedy that has been used for hundreds of years. Also known as Arnica montana, this perennial plant is native to Siberia and Europe but it’s also cultivated in North America.

The active ingredient in arnica may also help with sprains and other common injuries by soothing aches and reducing inflammation.

You will need

Arnica gel, cream, or oil.

Directions

Arnica gel can be applied 3 to 4 times a day. You will likely notice a reduction in pain, discoloration, and swelling after a few hours.

7. Create a watercress paste

It can also be used externally for wound healing, mouth ulcers, and sores. Rich in vitamins K and C, both of which aid in wound and bruise healing, this plant can be crushed and applied to help bruises heal faster. The plant watercress is commonly used in herbal medicine. Watercress has anti-bronchitis, anti-viral, and tonic properties that make it a common treatment for colds and respiratory problems.

You will need

Fresh watercress.

Directions

Crush watercress in a bowl with a bit of water to form a paste. Apply to the bruise a few times a day and cover with a bandage.

8. Use fresh blueberries

Blueberries are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, both of which boost the production of collagen to protect capillaries and blood vessels while improving circulation.

A diet rich in blueberries can help prevent bruises, but bruises can also be used to treat existing bruises.

You will need

Fresh or frozen blueberries.

Directions

Add more blueberries to your diet to give your body the nutrients it needs to fight bruising. You can try adding blueberries to a smoothie, in oatmeal, or eating them as a snack. Try combining blueberries with other foods that help get rid of bruises like pineapple.

9. Apply witch hazel ointment

Witch hazel is a powerful plant that is found in many over-the-counter and medicinal recipes. In fact, it is also one of the main ingredients in Preparation H cream because it’s so effective at fighting inflammation.

Witch hazel can be used to treat bruises and blemishes on the skin to fade discoloration and boost healing of the damage under the skin. It also tightens the skin and damaged blood vessels to help prevent a bruise from getting larger if applied within the first 24 hours.

You will need

• Witch hazel cream
• ointment or oil

Directions

Apply the witch hazel ointment directly to your bruise. Apply several times a day and cover with a bandage.

10. Try a topical cream

Topical treatments can help reduce bruising if you’re prone to getting bruises. Creams with arnica can also be used to help heal any bruises you have now because this flower boosts blood circulation and reduces inflammation.

You will need

A topical cream formulated for bruising. Dermend Moisturizing Bruise Formula Cream is one choice or you can try a cream with vitamin K, which is known to reduce bruising.

Directions

Rub the cream onto a bruise or area prone to bruising twice daily to break down the blood under the skin and help the body heal it to fade the bruise faster.

11. Apply St. John’s wort oil

St. John’s wort is a popular supplement usually used to treat mild depression, but the oil has also been used for generations for wound healing.

Unlike arnica, another popular remedy for bruises, St. John’s oil can be applied to broken skin. St. John’s wort oil reduces swelling and helps dissipate the discoloration from a bruise.

You will need

Organic or homemade St. John’s wort oil.

Directions

Apply St. John’s wort oil directly to a bruise or broken skin. The oil can be used several times a day. If you don’t want to use store-bought St. John’s wort oil or you can’t find any, you can make your own.

Pick enough wild St. John’s wort flowers and fill a small pint jar. Leave a half-inch of space at the top and let the flowers wilt.

Pour a good quality olive oil over the flowers, cover the jar, shake well, and set in a cool, dry place. Shake the jar every day to make a strong infusion and allow it to soak for 2-6 weeks. The oil will turn a dark red color due to the hypericin pigment.

12. Chocolate

Has your grandmother ever given you a piece of chocolate after falling down? Not only does chocolate lift your mood, but it also contains cocoa bioactive compounds that are anti-inflammatory.

Chocolate helps reduce swelling and speed healing by compressing hurt blood vessels to control bleeding. Eating chocolate can help prevent bruises, but you can also use chocolate topically! You can also apply chocolate to a bruise to treat the discoloration and swelling.

You will need

A small amount of dark or milk chocolate.

Directions

Melt a small amount of chocolate and rub it on top of the bruise. Wrap the area in gauze and leave it overnight. You can apply chocolate to the bruise several times a day.

13. Apply sugar syrup

While sugar may not be great for your health, it can be very good for your skin. Sugar is a natural humectant that keeps your skin moisturized and it’s a source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that encourages cell turnover for younger-looking skin. This AHA is often used to treat aging and sun-damaged skin, but it can also help heal a bruise.

Simple sugar syrup can promote healing and fade your bruise faster. After making a sugar syrup, you can either apply it while hot (but not scalding) or you can use a thick cooled syrup to slow blood flow and prevent the bruise from spreading.

You will need

Simple sugar syrup made with water and sugar.

Directions

To make a sugar syrup, bring one cup of water and one cup of sugar to boil. Boil until sugar is dissolved, then cool to room temperature.

Or

You can either apply hot sugar syrup carefully to the bruise and cover it with gauze or you can apply a thicker, cool sugar syrup, cover it with gauze, and apply an ice pack. This will help the sugar syrup harden.

Tips/Note:

You can add essential oils to this sugar syrup for even greater benefits. For example, you may want to add vitamin K oil or St. John’s wort oil for faster results.

14. Make a paste from turmeric and tamarind paste

Turmeric has a long history of medicinal and therapeutic use dating back almost 4,000 years. This supplement has more than 100 components that have been isolated, including some with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric has been used for generations to treat everything from rheumatoid arthritis to wounds and bruises. This wound-healing ability of turmeric has been studied fairly extensively.

You can use the healing properties of turmeric to help get rid of your bruise faster by making a simple paste of turmeric and tamarind.

You will need

Turmeric spice and tamarind.

Directions

Make a paste by mixing tamarind with two pinches of turmeric. Heat gently and apply the paste on the bruise. Cover with a soft cloth or gauze. You can reapply the tamarind paste a few times a day.

15. Rub castor oil on the bruise

Castor oil increases the production of white blood cells promotes lymph flow in the body and reduces inflammation. It’s often used by athletes to combat bruises and hematomas. Castor oil has been used as a natural remedy for many health problems for thousands of years. While best known as a laxative, castor oil has very different properties when it’s used topically.

You will need

Cotton ball, gauze or bandage, and castor oil.

Directions

Soak a cotton ball with castor oil and apply it directly to the bruise. Secure it in place with a gauze or a bandage. You can reapply the castor oil every few hours. This remedy will noticeably help fade the bruise within a day.

16. Make a tea bag compress

Tea is great for overall health, and it can make an excellent compress to soothe skin problems and bruises. Black and green teas contain tannins, which are astringent compounds that work to actively narrow blood vessels and reduce inflammation.

Teabags can be used to treat mild to severe bruises and even black eyes and sunburns. Green tea has fewer tannins than black tea, but it will also work well to reduce inflammation around the bruise.

You will need

Unused tea bag

Preferably black or green tea.

Directions

Wet an unused tea bag in warm water and apply it to the bruise. You can use a bandage to hold the teabag in place for up to an hour or so before switching it to a new teabag. Apply a tea bag twice a day for best results.

Tip/Note:

An alternative option is using herbal tea. You can make your own by adding chamomile and dried lavender flowers to hot water and steeping for 15 minutes. Strain the extract and cool, then dip a cloth in the tea and apply it to the bruise for fast relief.

17. Eat bilberry extract

Bilberry, which is similar to blueberries and native to Northern Europe, has powerful antioxidants called anthocyanosides that work fast to reduce the discoloration and swelling of bruises. It also has tannins like tea and wine that constrict and tighten tissue and reduce swelling.

Bilberry has been used for generations of food and medicine and its components have been studied in the use of heart disease and macular degeneration. You can use bilberry extract on its own to combat bruises or you can combine it with bromelain extract.

You will need

Bilberry extract.

Optional: combine with bromelain, frankincense, arnica, and coconut oil to make a cream.

Directions

Bilberry extract can be applied directly to the bruise and covered with gauze a few times a day. Alternatively, you can make a bruise cream on your own by combining bilberry extract, bromelain extract, frankincense drops, arnica oil, and coconut oil.

18. Apply a bit of butter

You don’t need to go far from the kitchen to find an easy way to fade bruises. Rubbing butter on bruise works because butter is high in fat and phosphates, which are the main ingredient of the phospholipids that comprise your blood vessel walls.

When you bump your leg or head, histamines break down the cell walls of the blood vessels and cause bleeding into the tissue that leaves a bruise. Butter helps build back the phospholipids at the site of the bruise to stop bleeding into tissues.

You will need

A small part of butter, not margarine.

Directions

Rub a small amount of butter directly on the bruise as soon as possible after an injury. You can apply a bit of gauze if you like.

19. Use raw onion

Onion has strong anti-inflammatory compounds and it helps heal damaged skin. The trick to treating a bruise with onion is using raw onion, not cooked, to preserve the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Be sure you don’t apply raw onion to any open wound, however!

You will need

Raw, sliced onion

A bandage

Directions

There are two methods for using onion for a bruise. The easiest method is applying a slice of raw onion over the bruise and securing it with a bandage for about 20 minutes. You can also dice an onion, putting half in a bowl and mixing it with two tablespoons of salt. Apply some of the mixtures to the bruise and wrap with a bandage to hold in place. Leave it on overnight.

20. Make an essential oil mixture

Several essential oils can contribute to faster healing and reduced inflammation to make that bruise disappear faster. You can mix the essential oils you have on hand that work well to fight bruises. This video offers one solution for a bruising blend of essential oils.

You will need

Your choice of essential oils that work well against inflammation and bleeding. This includes:

• Lavender oil
• Tea tree oil
• Chamomile oil
• Fennel oil
• Parsley oil
• Rosemary oil
• Geranium oil

Directions

Combine whichever essential oils you would like to use and massage very lightly into the bruise. You can do this several times a day and see a noticeable difference the next day.

Conclusion

While you wait for your bruise to fade away, you can use concealer with a more opaque covering to hide the bruise while it heals.

Just because bruises happen doesn’t mean you need to live with them for weeks. These remedies can give your body the boost it needs to clear away the metabolic waste and clear your skin faster than ever for beautiful legs and arms you can be proud to bear.

Last Tip: Does butter get rid of bruises?

Yes, butter gets rid of bruises.

How long to leave butter on a bruise?

Rub it and keep it on for a couple of hours.

Did you try any of these remedies for bruises? Which worked for you? I would love to hear your results!