With age, bruising becomes more common. And those unsightly marks can be embarrassing. But one natural solution could help reduce those black and blues.

Just take a look at this recent study out of the British Journal of Dermatology…

Researchers tested various topicals to see which helped heal bruises the fastest.

For the study, researchers created bruises using a laser.1 Then the subjects used one of four topical treatments: vitamin K, vitamin K with retinol, white petrolatum, and an herbal cream. They applied the ointments twice a day for two weeks.

At the end of the study, the herbal cream did a better job of improving discoloration than any other ointment except the vitamin K cream alone. But there’s more to bruising than just black and blues. And this topical herb helps reduce inflammation and pain better than any of the other options.2

So, what can you use to erase those black and blue marks? And reduce the pain that go along with them?

Arnica.

This European herb looks like a daisy. And it proved effective in another study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.

Women undergoing a facelift took either a placebo or 500 mg of arnica.3 They began the regimen the morning of surgery and continued every eight hours for four days. Doctors and nurses evaluated facial bruising and swelling. The women who took arnica had smaller areas of bruising.

Of course, bruises heal naturally. But it takes a week or two—depending on the severity of the injury. So you don’t really need to put anything on them. But if you want to speed up the healing process, or if they’re causing you any discomfort, arnica is a natural solution.

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References:
1 http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20412090
2 http://naturalhealthresearch.org/nhri/?p=25141
3 http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16415448