Vitamin K Cream & Bruising

Marketed as a remedy for preventing and reducing bruises, vitamin K may have cosmetic benefits when used in topical creams. Post-surgical patients, cancer patients undergoing laser therapy and people choosing laser therapy for aesthetic reasons have used vitamin K creams or gels to treat the bruises and skin discoloration caused by these treatments. However, clinical research suggests that vitamin K cream may be more effective at helping bruises fade after treatment than at preventing them.

Function

Vitamin K's name comes from its role in blood clot formation. The Danish scientist who discovered the vitamin's clotting properties named this nutrient Koagulations-vitamin, or "clotting vitamin." Vitamin K activates a cascade of chemical reactions that lead to blood clotting. A deficiency of dietary vitamin K may cause abnormal bleeding and may make you bruise easily. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, research has not verified that topical applications of vitamin K are effective for treating bruises.

Research

Although more research is needed to confirm that vitamin K cream can improve skin discoloration, some studies have found promising results. A study published in the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology" in August 2002 showed that patients undergoing elective laser therapy for broken facial blood vessels had no reduction in laser-induced purpura, or patches of purple discoloration, after applying vitamin K cream before treatment. However, patients who applied vitamin K cream after treatment did show improvement in their skin. The authors of the study concluded that vitamin K cream was more effective when applied after therapy than when used prior to treatment.

Uses

The American Cancer Society notes that vitamin K cream may speed the healing of bruised, discolored skin in cancer patients after laser therapy. The National Institutes of Health reports that vitamin K cream also might reduce the appearance of scars, burns, spider veins and stretch marks. Plastic surgeons might suggest over-the-counter vitamin K cream to diminish bruising after cosmetic surgery. However, clinical evidence does not confirm that vitamin K cream can significantly shorten the healing time for bruises or other types of skin discoloration.

Alternatives

Dietary vitamin K may be more effective at resolving bruises than topical treatments. Consuming foods rich in vitamin K after surgery might help bruises fade more quickly, notes the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or ASPS. Foods high in vitamin K include broccoli, spinach, kale and other leafy, dark green vegetables, as well as olive and canola oil and green tea. Increasing your intake of vitamin C, found in many fresh fruits and vegetables, also might assist with wound healing, tissue repair and bruising after surgery, the ASPS notes.

Precautions

Vitamin K cream can cause rashes or other allergic reactions, although the American Cancer Society reports that these reactions have been rare. Consult with your primary health care provider or surgeon before using over-the-counter vitamin K creams to prevent or relieve bruising.