What is ecchymosis?

Ecchymosis is a medical term for bruising over one centimeter on average. Smaller bruises can be classified as a purpura if they have a diameter of at least three millimeters or petechia if they are smaller. Ecchymosis may occur on the skin or mucous membranes.

and bruising is a type of hematoma or a collection of blood outside the blood vessel. It is a relatively small internal bleeding, usually due to the dull force trauma that causes small blood vessels to break under the skin surface. Ecchymosis and other bruises are visible when they occur on the skin like dark spots. Ecchymosis has a more distracted boundary than smaller bruises.

For those who have light skin color, bruises usually appear purple or blue a few days after injury, after recovering, turn green, yellow and brown. This gradual color change is the result of enzymes present in the hematoma during healing. After capillaries or venules breaks as a result of local trauma, blood spills into the surroundings.

macrophages, white blood cells responsible for cleaning residues, ingesting red blood cells escaped into the bruising area. This process is degraded to biliverdin in red blood cells, then bilirubin and then hemosiderin. These various by -products of the disintegration of hemoglobin are responsible for changing ecchymosis colors. Bruise does not clarify until the division process is completed. Often, however, the underlying tissue damage caused by the trauma is healed before the complete disintegration of hemoglobin and the bruise disappears.

ecchymosis can be treated at home by resting, applying ice, altitude and painkillers. Later in the healing process can be useful exercises, heat or light of light if they do not increase any pain. If the bruise after and a number of days or is very painful, or if the bruises are common, it is important to consult a doctor.