Falling and getting hurt and bruises is a part of growing up. But, as much as we know that as parents our hearts go out when our ill tots get bruised. Forget expensive ointments and chemical based lotions, try these simple home remedies to treat bruises in kids.
A bruise forms when a part of the body suffers a blow or deep impact with a heavy object which discolors the skin. At this time, the blood vessels below the skin surface rupture and blood collects below the skin surface, which shows up as a bluish-black spot. Children bruise easily as they play roughly with older kids.
Read More: 11 Home Remedies For Treating Scars In Kids
Causes
When an individual bumps into an object or another person, he gets bruised. Other reasons for bruises forming are:
- People taking medications like blood thinners
- People undertaking strong exercise and weightlifting bruise easily when their underlying blood vessels tear and result in bruises.
- Seniors bruise easily because of skin and tissue thinning that support blood vessels that become fine with age.
Symptoms
When an individual bruises, it shows up as red in color but after a few hours, it changes to a bluish-black color. As it heals, it turns green or yellow. Bruises are tender to touch, but as the color changes, it certainly becomes less painful.
Why use essential oils to Heal Bruises
Essential oils are extracts of flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, nuts, resins or barks of trees. Just one drop on the bruise and you can help expedite the healing process. Essential oils help bruises heal because they are made of a complex group of molecules that come with advantages to help the body. They have the power to fight disease effectively so that people need not use strong medicines or expensive surgery as treatment for bruises.
Here are 11 essential oils that help children’s bruises heal faster and well:
11 Essential Oils For Bruises Healing in Kids
1. Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)
The calming and soothing properties of this essential oil render it ideal for healing bruises, burns, stings and cuts. It is also abundant in antioxidants and help significantly reduce oxidative stress which can cause heart disease and many other health issues.
Read More: 7 Best Lavender Oil Benefits for Kids
How to use: This oil is very gentle, so it can easily be applied topically on your child’s bruises.
2. Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
Tea tree essential oil is a well-known antiseptic that treats burns, cuts and other wounds, while also protecting them from fungal and bacterial infection. The oil isn’t toxic at all and is totally safe for use on kids.
How to use: Some of the skin conditions it treats include eczema, dry skin and psoriasis, apart from healing wounds and bruises. To use this oil, mix a little of it with a carrier oil before dabbing it on your child’s bruises.
3. Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
Efficient as Rosemary may be in other areas, few people know that it also has a healing effect on bruises and cuts. The antibacterial and healing properties of this oil make it ideal for healing bruises. It is also anti fungal and is rich in antioxidants, which help heal wounds quick and complete. Being anti-inflammatory, it also heals acne, dermatitis, eczema and other skin problems that end up in scarring.
How to use: Blend rosemary essential oil along with coconut oil and massage over your child’s bruises till they fade.
4. Lemon (Citrus Lemon)
Lemon has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that help bruises heal fast. Lemon essential oil can also fade scars, while its rich content of Vitamin C helps produce collagen to produce taut skin and a smooth complexion. It also gets rid of skin impurities and stimulates the formation of new skin cells. Being a natural astringent, it also firms up the skin and gives it a good tone.
How to use: Dilute a little lemon essential oil with a carrier oil. Mix this liquid and then dip a cotton swab into it and apply it to your child’s bruises. Keep it on for 30 minutes and rinse it with cool water and pat dry. Repeat until a scab forms.
5. Clove (Eugenia Caryophyllata)
Being an antiseptic, clove essential oil kills a large variety of microbes that keep disease away. It works effectively to destroy E. coli, Staph aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which cause skin infections and pneumonia. It is also abundant in vitamins and minerals and is antimicrobial and anti-fungal in nature. It works well to heal wounds, bruises and cuts.
How to use: Apply the oil directly on your child’s wounds. Clove oil is strong, so dilute it but don’t use this oil if your child has sensitive skin. It will expedite healing time and take away the pain.
Read More: Health Benefits of Clove Oil for Kids
6. Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra)
This versatile oil can’t just heal wounds and bruises but also bring about pain relief. It also causes relaxation of the skin, cell regeneration to keep them healthy, aids faster scarring and improves skin tone.
How to use: To help your child’s bruises heal fast, combine two drops of frankincense essential oil with ½ teaspoon of carrier oil. Rub this liquid with a cotton swab directly on the bruise three times a day and watch it fade away.
7. Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe Barbadensis)
Aloe vera’s healing properties help expedite the healing process of the blood vessels that lie below the skin. It helps clear up bruises faster than natural healing would do. When you apply the gel to the child’s skin, it seals the skin, preventing bacteria or dirt from entering the affected area. Once the area is sealed from further bacterial infection, the aloe vera gel expedites the healing process. Further, the moisture present in the gel gives the bruise a perfect environment for the blood vessels to repair themselves fast and well, so that the child’s skin is regenerated and becomes natural once again.
How to use: The most natural way of using aloe vera gel for bruises is to break the leaves from a plant and apply the gel absolutely fresh. Else, buy pure gel from a drug store and apply it to the affected area. Third, you can use aloe vera products like juice, pills, lotions or infused socks and use them appropriately.
Read More: Health Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice for Women and Kids
8. Cypress
Though less popular than lavender, Cypress essential oil is endowed with several medicinal applications. For one, it can treat bruises, varicose veins, cellulite and stretch marks. For best results, use it when the bruise is fresh. The oil prevents blood clotting in the specific skin layer.
How to use: First, apply ice to the bruise and then mix cypress essential oil with a carrier oil and apply it topically to the bruise. Do this several times in the day till the bruise heals.
9. Helichrysum (Helichrysum Italicum)
According to research, applying helichrysum essential oil topically reduces disappearance of bruises, and scarring of wounds, abrasions and sun damage. This makes it ideal for healing bruises.
How to use: Six hours after the child is injured, dab this essential oil in combination with a carrier oil on to the wound to stimulate blood circulation. After the swelling reduces, blood circulation helps heal the bruise and the scar to fade. Every two hours, apply the essential oil on the bruise till the latter fades.
10. Calendula (Calendula Officinalis)
Calendula has strong anti-inflammatory properties due to its abundance of flavonoids and plant-based antioxidants that safeguard cells from the ill-effects of free radical damage. It is also one of the best essential oils for quick healing and scar removal, besides reducing scarring by inhibiting free radical damage.
How to use: Blend calendula oil with a carrier oil and apply to the child’s bruise.
11. Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
Geranium essential oil is reputed with stimulating producing new and healthy tissue and increasing blood circulation to a bruise. By applying this essential oil, the healing process is naturally expedited.
How to use: Blend geranium essential oil with several carrier oils. Apply these to the bruise. However, don’t use raw oil as this could irritate the child’s skin.
Conclusion
Essential oils, though effective, can also be very potent on a child’s skin, so be very careful of the essential oil you use and the amount you apply on the bruise. As always, speak to your doctor before use.
Resources:
http://drericz.com/best-essential-oils/
Ouch! 5 DIY Essential Oil Remedies that Heal Bruises Quickly
