Contusions may not appear soon after trauma. They can appear within minutes or hours of trauma. Color changes occur with healing of the contusion. These color changes are mainly due to breakdown of hemoglobin.

Color

Explanation

Age
  • Red

Oxygenated hemoglobin

soon after contusion
  • Blue

Deoxygenated hemoglobin

within 24 hours
  • Bluish black

Deposition of hemosiderin

48 hours
  • Green

Haemoglobin converted to biliverdin

4-5 days
  • Yellow

Biliverdin turn to bilirubin

 7-10 days
  • Normal color
  

10 -14 days

 

1.The dark reddish contusion is surrounded by the light bluish margin suggesting the blood is becoming deoxygenated - this is more compatible with a time period of 24 hours after trauma

2.This picture shows a yellowish- greenish contusion suggesting a time period of 5 - 8 days old