11 Essential Oils for Bruises and Hematomas

Bruises are a common problem.

Bruises do not break the skin but are likely to cause internal bleeding since the blood vessels beneath have been injured.

Of course, you want to be able to stop the bleeding, ease the pain, and heal the bruised region easily.

Contusion refers to a type of a bruise that does not cause skin breakage but results in skin discoloration.

Acne can be viewed as a good example of a contusion since it is a skin condition that causes discolored spots due to an inflammation of the sebaceous glands.

You can use various home remedies for bruises, such as elevating the bruised body part and placing ice on it for some time.

This is going to reduce the bleeding and swelling respectively.

This article, however, focuses more on the essential oils you can use on bruises.

Read it thoroughly to learn more about bruises and their remedies.

What are Bruises?

Bruises refer to a type of injury that occurs on someone’s skin due to the tearing of the blood vessels beneath, often resulting in skin discoloration.

Also called contusion, bruises usually turn purplish or bluish based on your skin color, sometimes turning into black marks.

Types of Bruises

Bruises are classified depending on the area of the body they affect; they include:

• Subcutaneous bruises. These bruises are found immediately below the skin.
• Intradermal bruises. These bruises occur on the subjacent muscles.
• Deep bruises or Periosteal. These bruises occur on the bones.

Best Essential Oils for Bruises

To heal your bruises and reduce hematoma, you could use various culturally-approved essential oils.

Many scientists have conducted research to identify the compounds contained in essential oils that are ideal for bruises.

From our research, the most effective essential oils for bruises are listed below.

We have also included a section on how to treat bruises using different essential oils.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is one of the most gentle and beneficial essential oils due to its multiple health benefits.

Of all the essential oils used for medicinal purposes, lavender oil has the least or no negative effects and thus is quite safe.

Lavender oil should be applied on a fresh bruise since it compresses the tiny vessels and stops bleeding instantly.

Before that, however, you should put an ice pack on the affected area to enhance the oil’s efficacy.

Lavender oil is applied with a carrier oil with which you simply massage the bruise.

For best results, be sure to apply the oil every few hours until you see the bruise reducing.

Lavender oil will also help lessen the swelling and inflammatory symptoms in the bruised region.

Cypress Essential Oil

Though not as famous as lavender oil, cypress essential oil has many medicinal benefits, including its treatment of bruises.

It is applied to reduce abnormal swelling on the skin due to ruptured veins, cellulite, and stretch marks.

Who wouldn’t love applying oil on a bruise and have the bleeding stop within minutes?

Like lavender oil, you should place ice for about 15 minutes on the bruised part before proceeding to mix the oil in a carrier oil.

Then apply a few drops on the bruised area and massage gently.

Repeat this several times in a day for best results.

Helichrysum Essential Oil

Are you looking for the most effective skin treatment to help address multiple conditions?

If you are, helichrysum is your best bet.

The only drawback with using helichrysum essential oil is that it is expensive, which may not work for some users.

Apply this essential oil on an area that has undergone abrasion for healing and to prevent scarring.

In addition to helping with bruises, helichrysum oil is also used to reduce sunburns and other damage.

Apply this essential oil on the bruise 6 to 24 hours after it has occurred.

It will reduce the inflammation and swelling while promoting blood circulation.

The more the blood circulates around the bruised area, the more you will experience healing.

Applying the oil several times in a day will help the mark to disappear with time.

Hyssop Essential Oil

Using hyssop essential oil will help heal bruises in a few days.

You can use it to ease the pain, reduce the swelling, and improve fluid circulation around the bruise.

Apply hyssop essential oil by mixing it with the carrier oil and gently massaging the affected area.

Generally, you are advised to dilute 30 drops of hyssop essential oil in about two tablespoons of a carrier oil.

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil is well-known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help in bruise healing.

You can mix a few drops of rosemary oil in a base oil and apply on the affected area, or mix it in bath water in a tub.

For the latter, you need to submerge the bruised area fully.

Yarrow Essential Oil

The versatility of yarrow essential oil makes it a must-have in your medicine cabinet.

If a bruise is accompanied by swelling, yarrow oil can be used to increase blood circulation to ease it.

If the bruise is bleeding profusely, you can rely on yarrow essential oil to stop the bleeding.

Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium essential oil is great for healing bruises, among other skin conditions.

The oil will also help repair the worn-out tissues in the body.

As such, you can rely on the oil to reduce wrinkles, as well as protect against skin infections.

Mix the geranium oil with a carrier oil before applying gently on the bruised region and massaging carefully.

Within no time, the bruise and mark will disappear!

Roman and German Chamomile Essential Oil

These essential oils are widely used in the cosmetic industry since they contain cicatrisant properties that help minimize skin marks and bruising.

Mix 2 to 3 drops of the chamomile essential oil in a base oil, and apply on the bruised area while massaging gently.

The bruise will disappear within a few days of application, and you can rest assured that your skin will be fully protected again any possible infections.

Frankincense Essential Oil

In addition to its efficacy in addressing various skin conditions, frankincense essential oil is also safe to use on delicate skin.

Other than being used to heal bruises, this essential oil can also be used for:

• Cancer prevention
• Relieving stress
• Boosting immunity

To apply, you should first mix a few drops of frankincense essential oil with an ideal carrier oil.

Proceed to massage the bruised area gently with the mixture at least twice or three times a day.

The efficacy of this oil is enhanced by its active compound, Boswellia.

Aloe Vera Essential Oil

Aloe vera is one of the commonly-used natural remedies for addressing skin conditions like acne and bruises.

It has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the pain associated with bruises and swelling.

It also has an ability to cool the bruise effectively so that it remains numb, for fast healing and better blood circulation.

When you have a bruise, just get one teaspoon of this gel and gently massage it onto the affected region.

Essential Oils for a Bruise Recipes

Various recipes are used on bruises to speed up the healing process while reducing swelling, infections, and scars.

Some of these essential oils recipes include:

Neat EO Application

The ingredients used for the neat recipe are:

• Lavender essential oil;
• Tea tree essential oil.

You will use these essential oils on the bruised region without diluting them with any base or carrier oils.

Use one to three drops of the mix to help bruises heal fast, and minimize inflammation.

The neat recipe is recommended for minor bruises.

You will also need to massage the affected area gently when applying the oils.

This is the simplest of all home remedies for bruises.

EO Infused Witch Hazel Lotion

This recipe is ideal for the bruises that come with swelling and inflammation.

The ingredients are:

• Chamomile essential oil;
• Lavender essential oil;
• Witch hazel lotion.

For this recipe, we advise that you first put an ice pack on the bruised area before applying the infused lotion.

For efficacy, you should apply the lotion at least twice or three times daily until the bruise heals completely.

EO Infused Arnica Ointment

Arnica ointment is one of the most effective essential oil recipes to use on bruises to help to heal, reduce scarring, relieve pain, and fight all the potential infections that may occur because of an open wound.

To make this infused ointment, you need to add between one and four drops of each of the following ingredients:

• Lavender essential oil;
• Tea tree essential oil;
• Chamomile essential oil;
• Parsley essential oil;
• Fennel essential oil;
• Hyssop essential oil;
• Geranium essential oil;
• Cypress essential oil;
• Yarrow essential oil.

Before applying this arnica ointment, you should apply a cold compress and massage gently around the affected area.

EO Infused Hot or Cold Washcloth Application

To make this infused treatment, you need the following ingredients:

• 3 drops rosemary essential oil;
• 2 drops lavender essential oil;
• 1 drop geranium essential oil;
• 2 washcloths;
• 2 non-reactive basins.

Fill two basins and fill one of each with hot and cold water, adding the essential oils listed above as appropriate.

Dip one washcloth and into the cold basin and the other one into the hot.

Apply each washcloth on your bruised area, and healing will be quick.

EO Infused Bruise Oil

This infused bruise oil is easy to prepare. All you need are the ingredients listed below:

• 2 drops geranium essential oil;
• 2 drops rosemary essential oil;
• 1 drop lavender essential oil;
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil.

For the carrier oil, you can choose between argan oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, or macadamia oil.

With this essential oil mix, the discoloration, pain, swelling, and inflammation associated with the bruising will reduce after just a few applications.

Precautions

Although we have described a neat EO application, you should typically avoid applying undiluted essential oils directly to your skin.

You should always mix them with a carrier oil, and their efficacy will still be high.

Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular oils due to its gentle nature.

It is also considered safe for use on sensitive skin since it has no side effects.

However, we recommend that you mix it with a carrier oil to avoid any harmful effects.

Before using any essential oil for bruises, it is important that you conduct a thorough research on what properties they have and active compounds they contain.

This will help you know how to treat bruises with them.