Introduction
If you have a cut or scrape, the best thing to do is clean it and put on an antibiotic ointment. You can also take over-the-counter pain medicine if needed. If your cut or scrape does not stop bleeding within 30 minutes, see a doctor immediately because this could be an indication that there are deeper cuts than you believe or something else may be wrong with your body.
Clean the wound and surrounding area.
- Wash the wound with soap and water.
- Use a clean cloth or paper towel to dry the area.
- Clean the surrounding area to prevent infection. This will help you avoid getting dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants into your open cut--and possibly spreading infection throughout your body! If you can't clean it yourself, seek medical attention immediately.
- The wound needs to be cleaned well because if it isn't properly sanitized, any bacteria on your skin could infect your injury and cause more serious health problems in the future.
- If an infection develops from not cleaning a cut properly at home (or if there's already one there), go see a doctor as soon as possible!
Sterilize the wound with an antiseptic.
- Sterilize the wound with an antiseptic.
- Use a cotton ball or swab to apply the antiseptic. Do not use alcohol as it can cause tissue damage and increase bleeding, but do not use hydrogen peroxide or iodine either--these products are too harsh for minor cuts and scrapes. Instead, opt for products that contain benzoyl peroxide (such as Oxytetracaine) or boric acid (such as Betadine). These substances work by killing bacteria on contact without harming human cells in the process
- Do not use soap or any other cleaning agent on your skin after you have cleaned out a cut; they will only make matters worse by further irritating your skin.
- Make sure that any bandage covering your cut isn't too tight; tight dressing can restrict blood flow and cause swelling.
- If there's pus oozing out of an infected wound after two days with no improvement whatsoever in its appearance/feel/odor then see a doctor immediately! You may need antibiotics before things get worse.
Apply a bandage to the wound for protection and to prevent infection.
Bandages are a simple way to cover a wound and prevent infection. Bandages should be made from clean, sterile material that's free of chemicals like rubber or latex. They should also be changed regularly (every 1-2 days), as they can become dirty or wet over time and become breeding grounds for bacteria if they're not changed often enough.
If you notice any signs of infection--like redness around your cut, swelling around the area of injury, or pus leaking out of your cut--it's important that you see a doctor right away! Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics or antiseptic solutions designed specifically for treating minor cuts on their own so that they don't get infected with anything else down there under all those bandages.
Keep the bandage on for a few days, until healing is complete.
Keep the bandage on for a few days, until healing is complete.
- Bandages can be changed daily.
- Leave them on for up to 7 days if necessary.
How to apply: Cleanse the wound with soap and water, rinse it well, pat dry with a clean towel or gauze pad, then cover with an adhesive dressing overtop of antibiotic ointment. When you change your bandage in the morning, use scissors to cut away any dead skin that has formed around the edges of your wound--it's better not to pull on this "flap" as it may cause more pain than necessary! If there's still bleeding after applying pressure for 5 minutes or so after cleaning out any debris from inside your cuticle bed underneath where those pesky hangnails used to live...then go ahead and apply another layer of pressure directly onto the top layers until the bleeding stops completely before removing old bandages entirely."
Minor cuts and scrapes can be treated at home if you follow these steps
- Keep the wound clean. Wash it with soap and water, or apply an antiseptic ointment like Neosporin to help prevent infection.
- Keep it covered. Covering your injury with a bandage can protect against further damage and help keep dirt out of the wound while it heals (don't forget to change your bandages regularly).
- Keep it dry! If you're worried about getting any more blood on yourself, wear rubber gloves while cleaning up (but remember: don't use alcohol-based hand sanitizers--they'll sting!). Also, try not to get any mud or dirt into any cuts; if there's no way around this kind of thing happening, make sure you wash off any extra stuff when you're done with treatment.
- Elevate! If possible, elevate whatever part has been injured above heart level for at least 20 minutes at a time; this will help reduce swelling in case there's been some bleeding going on inside that needs time before starting back up again on its own accord."
Conclusion
Minor cuts and scrapes are common, but they can be painful and hard to treat. Luckily, there are several home remedies that can help you get through this minor injury with ease. Whether you need something to disinfect the wound or some kind of bandage material, these suggestions will be useful for treating minor cuts at home.
