# black and blue and . . . green?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760 "2006-04-29T18:57:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/1 "2006-04-29T18:57:31Z")

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I’ve had a bruise on my arm for a few days. It’s been purple, obviously from blood just under the skin. Now the purple is surrounded by green. What part of the healing process produces green?

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**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/2 "2006-04-29T19:04:11Z")

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soon parts of it will turn yellow. Bruises can be pretty technicolor sometimes.

I think it’s just the different stages of the beakdown of blood.

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**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/3 "2006-04-29T19:10:08Z")

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Do you happen to be a copper-based life form by any chance?

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/4 "2006-04-29T19:19:40Z")

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> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> Do you happen to be a copper-based life form by any chance?

No, nor am I the Statue of Liberty.

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**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/5 "2006-04-30T02:20:55Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> No, nor am I the Statue of Liberty.

Ah, but are you Vulcan?

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**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-and-blue-and-green/354760/6 "2006-04-30T02:23:08Z")

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Ahem, now to a serious answer. It appears that **even sven** is [correct](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruise#Light_bruises):

> [@](#):
>
> The striking colors of a bruise are due to hemoglobin and its breakdown products, bilirubin [which is yellow] and biliverdin [which is green].