As bruises heal, the body breaks down spilled blood cells and their hemoglobin. The iron in hemoglobin is scavenged and reused, usually to form new red blood cells. The rest of the hemoglobin is ...

Bruises tend to start out crimson or violet, and then turn brownish or yellow before they finally fade away. This is caused by the yellow-brown chemical bilirubin.

Bruises don't stay purple for long. Those hideous shades of green, yellow and brown that follow are thanks to the body's healing process. At first, the reddish iron in the blood gives the bruise ...

While there’s no quick fix, Trinh says that 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight can help break down bilirubin, which is the substance that causes the yellow color in bruises, possibly shortening ...

Evaluating bruises in children can be tricky, ... Harris and other researchers suggest that a bruise with any yellow is likely to be older than 18 hours; the colors red, ...

Find out what you need to know about bruising after a blood test, ... As the days pass, the bruise will fade in color, turning yellow or green until it eventually disappears.