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Bruises are one of the common side effects of S&M activities. They are created by impact that breaks the blood vessels that deliver oxygen to the muscles and other tissue. Blood can then leave the blood stream, clot and form the characteristic purple or blue marks. Many submissives are proud to carry bruises and consider them a sign that they served their dominant well.
Treating Bruises
For most bruises, no special treatment is required. Severe bruising that results hematoma should receive medical attention. Hematoma are sections of tissue that collected access fluids due to the damage and become swollen and hard. Most hematoma will clear over time just like lighter bruises but only a health care professional can determine that no other damage has occurred. As a general rule of thumb, bruises on the head, any area that does not have bone covering organs (i.e. stomach) or that contains major blood vessels (neck, inside of thighs) should always receive professional help. So should bruises on arms and legs that cause pain when moving. Another good warning sign is if the bruise itself will start hurting (after the initial pain from the impact has subsided) within 30 minutes of impact.
If the bruise is accompanied by swelling, ice can be used to reduce the swelling.
Reducing Healing Time
The two steps to reduce healing time for bruises are to promote healing of the capillaries and then increase blood flow in the affected area.
To promote healing, avoid any additional impact on the area. Do not massage the bruise as long as there is still pain. If you have a swelling, ice can help the process but make sure to not leave the ice on the area for extended periods of time. Elevate the bruise while applying ice. There are also several brands of cremes (i.e. Arnica Gel, Bruise Away and many others) and natural products (i.e. Witch hazel or Rosemary oil) that work well for some people.
Once the blood vessels have healed, there are many ways to increase the blood flows. Gently rubbing a pain free bruise can help. Do not rub areas that cause pain. Pain is a sign that the capillaries have not yet healed and any rubbing will cause more blood to seep into the tissue. Many creams made for bruises also contain stimulants that promote fading of the bruise. A more controversial technique is applying heat to the area, usually by running very warm water over the bruise. This method works well for some people but is considered bad by others, usually because if done too early, it will only make the bruise worse.
Prolonging Bruises
Some people are interested in making bruises last longer. This can be dangerous, especially if the bruise covers a more severe injury (i.e. a break or damage to internal organs). There is little that can be done to slow down the breakdown process of the blood. This leaves the time between the initial bruise and the repair of the capillaries to enhance the bruise. Only the color and duration, not the area can be altered.
Taking aspirin or other blood thinning or anti-coagulant medications will delay clotting of the blood in the bruise. This results in more blood seeping through the damaged blood vessels before they can be repaired. Heat or strong stimulants can also increase the amount of blood flowing through the tissue.
