What really helps with bruises?
HLN, 8 August 2026
Dr Griet Voet in HLN on bruises: why cooling works best and what you can expect from arnica and other gels.
In HLN, Dr Griet Voet assesses eight popular remedies for bruises. She first explains how a bruise forms: small blood vessels under the skin tear, and the blood is gradually cleared away, which makes the colour change. Older people and those taking blood thinners bruise more easily. Extensive or spontaneous bruises can, in rare cases, point to an underlying problem.
According to her, heat or firm massage in the first few days tends to make things worse. Home remedies such as a steak or vinegar have no proven effect. Cooling quickly with a cold pack wrapped in a cloth is the best-supported advice.
Creams and gels with arnica or heparinoids can at most offer some support, and some contain substances that can trigger an allergy. In the end, the body clears the bruise itself.
Key advice
Cool a fresh bruise straight away, with ice or a cold pack wrapped in a cloth.
Avoid heat and firm massage in the first few days.
Do not expect miracles from creams or gels.
Have spontaneous or extensive bruises checked.
“The best remedy for a bruise is actually your own body: it clears away the leaked blood by itself.” — Dr Griet Voet