Treat superficial wounds

Video: 7 Steps to Effective Wound Care Management

Content

To step
Method 1 of 4: Treating cuts
Method 2 of 4: Treat minor burns
Method 3 of 4: Treat puncture wounds
Method 4 of 4: Treating back wounds
Tips
Warnings
Necessities

Superficial wounds include small cuts, scrapes and punctures where only the top two layers of skin - the epidermis and dermis - are damaged. Even minor damage to the skin can cause unwanted particles (such as dirt and bacteria) to enter your body.For this reason, it is essential that proper wound care is used to prevent infections and other serious complications. This article will outline the basic steps for treating superficial wounds (cuts, rips, scrapes, punctures, and burns). You could apply this wound care yourself at home. For more serious wounds that continue to bleed, show inflammation, or are caused by an animal bite, seek immediate medical attention!

To step

Method 1 of 4: Treating cuts

Wash your hands. Open wounds allow bacteria to enter the body, so it is essential that you wash your hands thoroughly before treating the cut. Use warm water and soap and dry your hands after you are done.
- If the cut is severe and continues to bleed, skip washing your hands and immediately apply pressure to the wound. Once you have managed to control the bleeding, you should seek medical attention.
- If you don't have access to water, you could use damp cloths or soap with alcohol to clean your hands or wear medical gloves.
Rinse the wound area with clean water to ensure all debris is removed from the wound and surrounding area. You may need to gently wipe the wound to remove all debris.
- You should then carefully pat the wound dry.
- You can also choose to rinse the wound with sterile saline, if available.
Try to control bleeding by applying pressure directly to the wound. Use a clean cloth or towel for this. Continue to apply pressure until the bleeding has stopped or has largely stopped. You may not be able to stop the bleeding completely, and that in itself is not a problem.
- You would be wise to keep the bleeding body part above your heart as much as possible, if possible. For example, keep your arm above your heart or sit with your leg with the injury up on a chair to reduce blood circulation.
- Cool the wound area with a clean cloth soaked in cold water or a towel with an ice pack inside, if necessary (see Tips). The lower temperature slows blood circulation in the wound area and thus will reduce bleeding.
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the wound. Open wounds are the ideal place for bacteria to enter the human body. To reduce the risk of infection, apply an antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) to the skin around the cut.
- The layer you apply should be thin and use the medicine according to the instructions on the package.
- Do not use topical antibiotic ointment for cuts that are quite deep and have penetrated blood vessels without first consulting a doctor.
Place a band-aid over the cut. Try to apply the patch so that the edges of the wound are as close as possible to each other to promote rapid healing.
- Use a non-adhesive wound dressing or sterile gauze and elastic gauze dressing to keep the gauze in place.
Change the dressing several times a day, especially if it has become wet or dirty. Be careful not to reopen the wound while removing the dressing. If the cut starts to bleed, apply pressure again until the bleeding has stopped.
- Then reapply antibiotic ointment while applying a clean bandage, if necessary.
- Keep the cut moist and covered until the skin has had enough time to heal.
- You can expose the cut to the outside as soon as the wound has healed and there is no chance that the wound will tear again.

Method 2 of 4: Treat minor burns

Stop the burn process to avoid further injury. Even if you are no longer in contact with the source of the burn (such as an open flame or the sun), tissue damage can still develop. It is therefore essential to prevent further injury before starting to clean the wound area.
- Hold the wound area under cool, running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
- If you have a burn on your face, on your hands, or on a joint, or if the burn is very large, seek immediate medical attention.
- Use warm water for less harsh chemicals or when chemicals have come into contact with the eyes.
- It is also important to call your doctor if chemicals have come into contact with your eyes or mouth, as this can lead to more serious complications.
- When there is a chemical burn, immediately neutralize the burning chemical. If you don't know how to do this, you should seek medical attention.
- If you don't have access to water, you could put a cold compress over the burn. An ice pack wrapped in a towel can act as a cold compress.
Apply a lotion to the burn. Use aloe vera lotion or gel or a low-dose hydrocortisone cream to protect the skin and aid the healing process.
- Make sure to dry the skin by blotting before applying any lotion or cream, if necessary.
- Re-apply the lotion several times during the day to keep the wound area moist.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers if the burn is causing pain. Burns can be very painful, so it may be wise to take over-the-counter medications (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen).
- Use the over-the-counter medications according to the directions for use on the package and do not exceed the recommended dose. In case of severe or persistent pain, you should seek medical attention.
Try to keep blisters intact as much as possible. Burns often result in blisters - a cavity in or under the epidermis that contains moisture.
- If the blister bursts, rinse the wound area with water, then apply an antibiotic ointment and finally cover the area with a non-adherent dressing.
Monitor the wound area closely for signs of inflammation. If you notice redness, tenderness, swelling, or exudation, apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the burn with clean gauze to protect it during the healing process.
- Contact a doctor if the burn appears to be getting worse, the pain does not seem to be getting better, the wound appears to be inflamed and does not seem to be healing with home treatment, or if severe blisters or discolorations develop.

Method 3 of 4: Treat puncture wounds

Wash your hands before treating the wound. Use warm water and soap and wash your hands for at least thirty seconds to make sure your hands are really clean.
- You should also dry your hands thoroughly before touching the wound area to reduce the risk of infection.
Rinse the wound area with clean water to remove dirt and other particles. If rinsing alone cannot remove all of the dirt, you could use alcohol sanitized tweezers to remove the remaining particles. Also try to remove the object that caused the puncture wound if it is still in the wound.
- If the object that caused the puncture wound is still in the wound and cannot be completely removed, or if you are unable to remove the object without causing further damage, you should seek medical attention.
Apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If the puncture wound is bleeding, apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. You can apply pressure to the injury with a clean cloth or, if available, an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
- Depending on the type and extent of the injury, it is also possible that the puncture wound will not bleed at all.
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the wound area. ONLY do this if there is a superficial wound. If you are dealing with a large, open, and deep wound, do not apply topical medications. Instead, seek immediate medical attention.
Cover the wound with a clean dressing or bandage. This will help keep the wound clean and reduce the risk of infection and other complications.
- Change the dressing several times a day and whenever it gets wet or dirty.
- Consult your doctor to determine if you should receive a tetanus shot within 48 hours. This is usually recommended if you have not had a tetanus shot in the past five years. Even minor puncture wounds can lead to infection.
Monitor the wound area closely for signs of inflammation (redness, pain, pus, or swelling). If the wound does not appear to be healing or you notice excessive pain, warmth, redness, and / or exudate, seek immediate medical attention.

Method 4 of 4: Treating back wounds

Wash your hands very thoroughly. Use warm water and hand soap to wash away all visible dirt. Do not touch the wound with dirty hands as this could lead to infection.
- If you don't have access to clean water, you could wear gloves or use wet wipes to clean your hands.
Rinse the wound with clean water to rinse away the debris. Be very careful not to peel off pieces of skin (if they are still attached). Afterwards, gently pat the wound area dry or let it air dry.
Cover the wound with a dressing. If a flap of skin is still present, replace it over the wound before applying the dressing. This will help the wound to grow closed.
- You can also choose to use a non-adhesive, sterile gauze and elastic gauze bandage to keep the gauze in place.
- Change the dressing several times a day, especially if it has gotten wet. Carefully remove the old dressing, rinse the wound as needed and apply new dressing.

Tips

Immerse yourself in first aid before you actually need it. Prepare yourself.
Rubber gloves are a good way to protect wound dressings from dirt and water. The glove keeps the dressing clean and dry.
Wash the wound with clean water only. Do not use alcohol, iodine solution or hydrogen peroxide. If the wound area is extremely dirty, use regular soap to remove stubborn dirt.
Get a tetanus shot if you haven't been vaccinated in the past five to 10 years.
Be aware of a possible allergic reaction to neomycin, which is a component in some antibiotic ointments. Signs of an allergic reaction include itching, redness, swelling or rash where the ointment has been applied. If so, you should stop using the ointment and call your doctor for advice.
Wear clean medical gloves if you have these on hand while treating others. After use, put the gloves in a plastic bag (a resealable plastic bag is a good option) and throw away the bag and its contents where others cannot reach it.
To make an ice pack yourself, you can fill a resealable sandwich bag halfway with ice (preferably "crushed" ice) and then seal it. Wrap the bag in a tea towel or pillowcase. Ice packs are used to cool burns and reduce swelling or bruising after injury. It will also reduce bleeding when there is an open wound. Remove the ice pack every ten to fifteen minutes or when there is an uncomfortable feeling to let the skin warm up again. This protects you from freezing and further damage to the skin.

Warnings

When in doubt, seek medical attention at all times.
Continue to apply pressure until the bleeding has stopped, but you should avoid cutting off all blood supply to the wound area.
If the wound is bleeding profusely, or if blood is spurting from the wound, do not waste time cleaning the wound. Try to control bleeding first and then seek medical attention as soon as possible.
If you are dealing with a chemical burn of unknown cause, or if you feel the burn is deeper than the top two layers of the skin, or in the eyes or mouth, seek immediate medical attention.
If blood seeps through the dressing, DO NOT remove the dressing and then apply a new dressing. Doing so will interrupt the clotting process and cause the wound to bleed more heavily. If you experience this, it is best to apply more wound dressings on top of the already applied dressing and then seek medical attention.
DO NOT apply hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, iodine, Betadine, or any other "disinfectant" to an open wound unless directed to do so by a physician. These agents can be extremely irritating, can destroy new skin cells and also increase the risk of complications during the healing process.
Seek medical attention if you are unable to stop the bleeding within ten minutes and / or if there is something in the wound that you cannot flush away.
The instructions in this article apply only to small, superficial wounds. For wounds deeper than the dermis or for burns to the face, hands, or a joint, seek immediate medical attention.
If the resulting infection cannot be resolved quickly with an antibiotic ointment, you should seek medical attention. Signs and symptoms that may indicate infection include redness, pain, warmth and swelling in the wound area and the possible presence of yellow or green opaque wound fluid.