What is the Difference Between Bruise and Purpura

The key difference between bruise and purpura is that bruise is a discolored patch on the skin or tissue that is due to an injury while purpura is a purple-colored spot most recognizable on the skin or mucous membrane that is due to some problems inside the body.

Skin lesions are areas of the skin that are different in appearance from the skin around them. They can be a result of trauma, injury or damage to the skin like sunburn, or can be a sign of an underlying condition like infections or auto-immune diseases. Bruise and purpura are two different types of skin lesions. Both these may look similar.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Bruise  
3. What is a Purpura
4. Similarities – Bruise and Purpura
5. Bruise vs. Purpura in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Bruise and Purpura
7. Summary – Bruise vs. Purpura

What is a Bruise?

Bruise is a discolored patch on the skin or tissue. It can be caused by an injury such as bumps on the body, aging skin, a symptom of taking medication and having a condition or receiving treatments that affect the blood platelet count. The signs and symptoms of a bruise may initially include a dark maroon or reddish-colored patch on the skin. As the bruise ages, it progresses through the colors of green to yellow and then brown before fading away. Other symptoms may involve pain or tenderness when the bruise is touched, as well as swelling or a raised bump on the skin.

Bruises can be diagnosed through physical examination, X-rays, and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for bruises may include resting, applying ice packs for a 24 to 48-hour period, applying a heating pad or warm compress to the injured area after two days, and taking over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen.

What is Purpura?

Purpura is a purple, red, or brown color blood spot on the skin or mucous membrane. Purpura can be caused by multiple etiologies such as drugs or medications that affect platelet function or clotting, immune disorders such as ITP immune thrombocytopenia, infections in the bloodstream, drugs or steroids that affect platelet function, blood clotting disorders, weakened blood vessels due to age or sun exposure, congenital conditions like Ehlers-Danlos, vasculitis, and vitamin C deficiency. Purpura can cause complications such as severe or fatal bleeding. Moreover, the signs and symptoms of purpura include small, flat spots on the skin that appear red or purple on lighter skin tones but may look brown or black on darker skin. Applying pressure to the affected area doesn’t alter the color of the purpura. Additionally, blood spots may appear on limbs, in the mouth, or on any other mucous membrane.

Purpura can be diagnosed through physical examination, complete blood counts, and skin biopsies. Furthermore, purpura can be treated by managing the underlying condition, corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG), thrombopoietin receptor agonist, blood transfusion, and splenectomy.

What are the Similarities Between Bruise and Purpura?

• Bruise and purpura are two different types of skin lesions.
• Both these skin lesions may look similar in appearance.
• These skin lesions can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
• They can be treated through specific medications.

What is the Difference Between Bruise and Purpura?

Bruise is a discolored patch on the skin or tissue, while purpura is a purple-colored spot that is most recognizable on the skin or mucous membrane. This is the key difference between bruise and purpura. Furthermore, bruises can result from injuries such as bumps on the body, aging skin, side effects of medication, or having a medical condition or undergoing treatment that affects blood platelet count. In contrast, purpura may be caused by drugs or medications impacting platelet function or clotting, immune disorders like immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), bloodstream infections, drugs or steroids affecting platelet function, blood clotting disorders, weakened blood vessels due to age or sun exposure, congenital conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos, vasculitis, and vitamin C deficiency.

The infographic below presents the differences between bruise and purpura in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

FAQ: Bruise and Purpura

What is the medical term for a bruise?

The medical term for a bruise is “contusion.”

How do I know if I have purpura?

If you have purple-colored spots and patches on the skin, and in mucus membranes, including the lining of the mouth, then you can know that you have purpura.

How does purpura start?

When blood leaks from the vascular system into the skin, purpura starts being visible.

Summary – Bruise vs. Purpura

Bruise and purpura are two different types of skin lesions. A bruise is a discolored patch on the skin or tissue. It mainly occurs due to an injury. Purpura is a purple-colored spot most recognizable on the skin or mucous membrane. It occurs due to some problem inside the body. This summarizes the difference between bruise and purpura.

Reference:

1. “Bruises: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Remedies, Prevention.” WebMD.
2. Gabbey, Amber Erickson. “Purpura: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Pictures.” Healthline, Healthline Media.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Purpuraschoenleinhennoch” By Peter Rammstein – Own work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimeda
2. “Post gallbladder surgery bruise” By Rosetheboston – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia