I bruise like a peach.
Bump into a chair, bruise. Shoot a shotgun, bruise. Drop a toothbrush on my foot, bruise. It’s ridiculous really. And in the summer, when I actually want to show a little skin, all these bruises can be a pain. So how best to banish the purplish spots?
A neighbor recommended Butter Cream Healing Salve by Suki ($28), so I thought I would give it a try. But I was skeptical, what is this, a Seinfeld episode? Some magic balm is just going to make the bruises just disappear?
I got a wicked shoulder bruise shooting trap earlier this week, and I have an event this weekend, so my only goal was to lighten the bruise. After just two applications and 24 hours, the bruise has gone from a dark eggplant to a reddish-mauve. Not bad.
Also, an old bruise on my calf, caused by an unfortunate altercation with a space heater, was gone in a day. I’d been watching it fade at a glacial pace for weeks, so that was a pleasant result.
The cream is heavy, has a pleasant smell and seems to do the trick. My only complaint is that the greasiness seems to linger on my hands even after I wash them. This would be a small matter, but I’m always worried about accidentally transferring greasy product residue to my face.
Regardless, if you’re an outdoorsy person or just prone to bruises like I am, this salve does a great job at speeding up healing time. The product instructions also say that it will help with scrapes, scrathes and any other boo-boos you might have. I’m glad I found it, after all, few things are less attractive than looking like you went five rounds with Evander Holyfield.
5 comments
CynthiaW says:
I can't wait to try this! I, too, am easily bruised – it's bad enough that a former employer called me in for a very awkward conversation in which it took me a good 20 minutes to figure out that my boss thought that my husband might be beating me. When I finally figured out what he was talking about, I burst out laughing and said “as if he would dare”. Not that he would anyway…. but you get my drift.
E says:
Belle (and others who bruise easily)- next time you go to the doc, ask them to check your iron and platelet levels. Same issue I had, both were very low.
SEB says:
Great to know about! I'm really impressed with the product description because I don't see any weird or suspicious chemicals in there. Another option that's not greasy is just plain Arnica Gel (available at Whole Foods). It's really light, absorbs quickly, and I think it works pretty well.
Ellen says:
Arnica montana!! I swear by it! It's a homeopathic bruise cream that works wonders and is a savior for this klutz!
Jill says:
Because you say it is somewhat heavy and greasy, I probably know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyway. Have you ever tried this on a “dark spot” on your face (the kind you get after you've had a zit that won't quit)? I'd probably be hesitant, but if it works like a charm on other parts of your body, one has to wonder!