One morning, you look in the mirror… and to your surprise: a bruise on your thigh. You don’t remember hitting yourself, you didn’t fall. Where did this colored spot come from, as if it appeared out of nowhere? If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. These marks, also called bruises, are often confusing, sometimes alarming… and deserve to be better understood.
What is a bruise?
Bruises are bluish, reddish, or purple spots commonly referred to as “bruises.” They occur when small blood vessels under the skin burst. The blood doesn’t drain out, but remains under the skin, forming a more or less large area that is sometimes painful to the touch. Imagine a leaking pipe under a blanket: everything looks normal on top, but underneath, it’s wet. A similar phenomenon occurs under your skin.
Different forms of subcutaneous hemorrhages.
Not all visible marks under the skin are bruises. There are other types of hemorrhages:
Bruises : more swollen, often painful, generally caused by a violent shock (accident, fall, etc.).
Petechiae : Very small red dots (less than 2 mm) that do not disappear when pressure is applied.
Purpura : spots larger than petechiae but smaller than bruises, often associated with blood clotting disorders.
