Why Does a Bruise Turn Purple, Then Green, Then Yellow?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does a bruise turn purple, then green, then yellow?

The Big Idea

A bruise changes color because your body is cleaning up leaked blood. When tiny blood vessels under the skin break, a little blood escapes and gets trapped. As your body breaks it down, the colors change from red to purple to green to yellow.

Tiny Leaks

Step one: tiny leaks. When you bump your skin hard, tiny blood vessels underneath can break. A little blood leaks out and shows through your skin as red or purple.

Clean-Up Crew

Step two: the clean-up crew. Special cells eat up the leaked blood and break it into new chemicals. Some of those chemicals are green, so the bruise turns green.

Fading Away

Step three: fading away. Later the chemicals turn yellow, and then your body carries them away. After a week or two, the bruise is usually gone.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at the bruise colors! At first, it is red or purple. Then it looks dark purple. Later it turns green as cells clean up. And finally it fades to yellow.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Bruises are more common on shins and knees, because kids bump them a lot. Bruises usually do not need any special care. Do not press or poke a bruise, because it can make it sore. Tell a grown-up if a bruise hurts a lot or does not heal.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! If you get a small bruise, watch its colors over a few days. Draw or write what you see each day. Tell a grown-up if it is very painful or does not heal.

Outro

A bruise is a color-changing clean-up. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!