Pictures of surgery bruising from a tummy tuck and thigh lift taken over time showing the healing process and the time required for bruises to fade. Bruises are shown at time intervals of 3 days, 1 week and 2 weeks after Plastic Surgery was performed.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Does Plastic Surgery Leave Bruises?
    Yes. Most, if not all surgical incisions leave bruises. Severity depend on your health, how fast you heal, the surgical technique used, the type of operation as well as many other factors.
  2. What Is a Bruise? How Does it Happen?
    A bruise is a purplish mark on your skin that you get when a part of your body is struck and the muscle fibers and connective tissue below the skin are crushed but the skin doesn’t break. When you get a bruise, small blood vessels near the skin’s surface rupture. Small amounts of blood leak from these capillaries and “pool” beneath the skin. This gives it a purplish color and makes it tender to the touch. Other names for bruises are contusions and ecchymosis.
  3. How Long Do Bruises Last?
    The length of time it takes for your bruise to heal depends on many factors. Your age, health, physical condition, nutrition and wound treatment and care all play important roles in determining how fast your bruise will go away. A bruise will change color over time. The color change reflects the healing process as your body reabsorbs the blood in the wound area. Color changes are reflected as follows.Reddish, Red- Recent bruise.
    Bluish, Purplishor Blackish – 1-2 days
    Blue, Purple or Black – 1-2 days
    Greenish or Yellowish – 5-10 days
    Green or Yellow – 5-10 days
    Yellowish Brown to light Brownish: 10-14 days
    After 2 weeks – Your bruise will likely fade away.
  4. Who Gets Bruises?
    Anyone who bumps into anything can get a bruise. Some people bruise more easily than others. Elderly people tend to get them more easily than younger people because their blood vessels become more fragile with age. Other people may bruise more easily than others because of fragile capillaries, poor health or an inability to create collagen.
  5. How Do I Treat A Bruise?
    Typically the first thing you would do is to apply a cold compress. This will help to reduce the size of the bruise and slow down the blood flowing into the area. It will also help keep the swelling and inflammation down. Ice in a plastic bag wrapped with a towel works fine for applying a cold compress to a bruise. Anything cold will do. Cold should be applied immediately for a half hour to an hour, then repeated a few more times throughout the day (and possibly the next day). Another tip for bruise healing is to elevate the bruised area above your heart (if possible). This will help slow the flow of blood to the bruise.
  6. Is Bruising Common After Surgery?
    Bruising is very common following surgery. If you just had surgery bruising should be the least of your concerns. It is not permanent and will reduce in time.
  7. Can I Cover A Bruise With Cosmetics?
    Yes. Camouflage makeup and color correction makeup can be used to hide your bruise that’s healing).

Surgery Bruising and Bruises are a fact of life  (see all pictures) and just something you have to live with. With just a little time the bruises will fade and disappear.