To care for a cut at home, you may need:. Gauze Disposable gloves Sterile bandages Antibiotic gel or ointment Over-the-counter pain medication Having these items on hand means being prepared when an accident occurs and potentially avoiding a hospital visit. As soon as you or a loved one gets a cut, your first priority is to stop the bleeding. Wash your hands thoroughly, and put on your disposable gloves if available.
Remove any clothing that covers the wound. Cover the wound with sterile gauze and apply gentle, continuous pressure to the cut. At the same time, keep the cut elevated so that it is higher than your heart. This should slowly stop the bleeding. If you do, it could pull away a scab that is beginning to form, which will restart or worsen the bleeding. Instead, use more gauze on top and continue to apply pressure until the bleeding has stopped.
Once the bleeding has stopped, carefully remove the gauze. If you feel any resistance, you can use some warm water to remove the gauze safely without disturbing the new scab.
The next step is to clean the wound. Research shows that the best way to clean your injury is by rinsing it with lukewarm, potable water, making sure to wash away any debris in the wound.
This is a more sanitary option. Gently clean around the cut with soap and water to prevent infection. There are a few main reasons you might need stitches. This size of cut is likely to bleed excessively and will need stitches to stop the bleeding. A puncture wound , like the one caused by stepping on a nail or a dog bite, can cause a deep laceration that can lead to serious infection.
Some cuts are harder to heal because of their location. Cuts on your face, especially around your eyes, hands, or genital area, are vulnerable to infection, so they will need stitches. If your wound is over a joint, you will likely need stitches to hold the cut closed and allow it to heal.
For example, if you have a cut on your knee, the movement from walking could prevent it from healing. Your cut should stop or mostly stop bleeding after 10 to 15 minutes of elevation and pressure. DP : Yes. In many, many cases you can improve the scar effect by getting stitches.
It will also get the wounded area back to normal function sooner. MR : What is the average time that stitches need to stay in? DP : It depends on the part of the body and a number of other factors. For wounds on the face and scalp, stitches usually stay in for four to seven days. Wounds on the trunk torso or extremities stay in for 10 days. Stitches for wounds over a knee or elbow that are constantly bending stay in a little longer — as long as two weeks.
You also have to consider other illnesses: people with kidney problems or diabetes heal slower so their stitches stay in longer.
DP : There are several ways to close wounds. It is used a lot on kids. The most critical thing to do is apply pressure to get the bleeding to stop or slow down. You can simply use your hand to apply pressure, placing gauze or a clean cloth between the wound and your hand. An ice pack is also helpful to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding is controlled, run the cut under water.
This is the most effective action you can take to prevent infection. I recommend gently rinsing it, wrapping it in gauze, and then gathering two Ziploc bags.
Place it into the first bag and then take the other bag and put some ice into it. Place the bag with the skin inside the bag with the ice, as the cooling gives a better chance of tissue survival. Avoid directly applying ice to the tissue. Some of the worst cuts are from animals, including dogs, and even human bites. Certain parts of the body are also more prone to infection.
When on the hands, a laceration — which is a deep cut or tear with two separate edges of skin — is at higher risk of infection. The face and scalp are less prone. Some patients are more susceptible to infection, including diabetic or immunosuppressed individuals who have had organ transplants or chemotherapy treatment, or those using steroids for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
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