Scratch and bruise (image 2 of 7). Close-up of a scratch and bruise on a man's arm from an injury that occurred the day before. Blood from the scratch (centre) appears dry and has clotted (solidified). The clot has sealed the damaged skin to keep blood loss to a minimum. The skin below the scratch has suffered from a blunt injury causing a bruise. This breakage of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the skin has caused the blue-pink discoloration under a large area of the skin. At right is the scabbed scratch from an earlier injury. (See photo numbers M330/668 and M330/670-674 for the scratch and bruise viewed on day 1 and through to day 7).