We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about when you should see a doctor about a spot, as well as when differences in your nails’ appearance warrant a trip to the GP.
But what about bruises? Can those ever be a serious health issue?
Unfortunately, according to Doctor Karan Rajan, they can be. In a recent TikTok, he shared that though blood cancer is the fifth-most-common cancer in the UK, about 54% of people asked by Blood Cancer UK don’t know a single symptom of the condition.
Bruising, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats are all symptoms, though 26% of respondents said they’d never go to a GP about those issues.
So when should I worry about a bruise?
If it’s combined with one or more of the symptoms above or persists with no clear cause, you should certainly see your GP. Though “only a tiny fraction might have something serious,” there’s a “low public awareness of symptoms of leukaemia and lymphomas.”
Of course, there are other causes of bruising. Bruising easily could be a symptom of anaemia, for instance; it can even be a sign of liver conditions, broken bones, and bleeding disorders.
Oxford Urgent Clinic says you should check a bruise if:
- The bruise appears without any obvious injury.
- The bruise does not improve within two weeks or completely clear after 3-4 weeks.
- The bruise feels different from past bruises.
- The bruise is painful and underneath a fingernail or toenail.
- The bruising is accompanied by severe pain and swelling, especially if you are taking any blood-thinning medication.
- If you suspect that you might also have broken a bone.
- If you have a bruise around the eye and your vision is affected or you cannot move your eye in all directions.
Does the colour mean anything?
Normally, bruises start off light or even unnoticeable. By about day one to two, they darken to a blue, purple, or black hue, or just one slightly deeper than unbruised skin.
From day five to 10, the bruise can turn yellow or green on paler skin; for darker skin the bruise might simply become lighter.
Your bruise should begin to fade from days 10-14, turning tan or yellowish-brown on paler skin and fading on darker skin.
If your bruise is not cleared after three to four weeks, speak to your GP. And if you spot tiny red or purple spots called petechiae, see a doctor if you don’t know the cause or if it’s all over your body.