Content

• Steps

Unlike a cut that goes through the skin and touches the muscle below, a scratch is a wound that doesn't go through the skin. However, the scratch can be painful and bleeding. If you have a deep scratch, you can try home care or visit the clinic. In general, deep scratches can be pressed, washed and bandaged at home.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Examination of the wound

1. 

   Distinguish the wound. Sometimes the scratch is deep and the tear looks the same. Before you can treat a scratch, you need to determine if it is a scratch. This is very important because cuts or cuts may require stitching or stitching. A scratch is just a shallow abrasion on the skin.
   • If the wound is more than 1 cm deep, seek medical attention to treat and sew the wound.

2. 

   
   
   Hand washing. Before taking care of the wound, make sure your hands are clean. If the wound isn't bleeding badly, take some time to wash your hands with antibacterial soap. If the scratch is deep in the hand position, try not to put soap in the wound as it will be very painful.

3. 

   Wash with water. Once you've correctly identified the scratch, rinse it off with water. Keep the wound under running water to remove any sand that may have entered the wound. The wash water needs slightly lukewarm. Continue to let the water run over the wound for a few minutes, checking in between each batch to make sure there are no sand and gravel left in the wound.
   • If you don't have a clean source of water available, you can use a cloth to remove visible grit from the wound.
   • If you notice a lot of bleeding, rinse it quickly to remove the sand, then move on to the next step.

4. 

   
   
   Apply pressure to the wound. Once the large debris has been removed, you need to stop the bleeding. To do this, apply a clean cloth, towel or gauze to the wound and press firmly. If you only have an old shirt or dirty cloth, don't worry about infection. The wound is already dirty because it has not been disinfected, so do not worry too much about infection. At this point you should focus on stopping the bleeding.
   • While pressing the wound, do not examine the wound for at least 7-10 minutes. If you lift it too soon, the clot will pop out and the wound will bleed again.
   • If you have pressed for 7-10 minutes and the bleeding has stopped, you can clean it.

5. 

   
   
   Healthcare. If the gauze compresses the wound soaked in blood or sees a spurt of blood, get medical attention right away. This is a sign that your wound is serious and needs specialist treatment at a medical facility. This can happen with large scratches such as scratches on the pavement or scratches that are too long.
   • There are also some health factors that may require you to go to the hospital if the wound is quite deep. See a doctor right away if you have bleeding disorders, diabetes, heart, kidney, liver, and immune problems. A deep scratch can put you in danger if combined with other pre-existing conditions.
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Part 2 of 3: Wash the wound

1. 

   Remove debris or sand from the wound. Some debris or grit may become stuck in the skin and won't wash off when washed, especially scratches. Once the bleeding has stopped, check the wound for any debris left in your skin. If so, you can gently remove it with tweezers; If that doesn't work, go to the clinic and have the doctor take it out.
   • Do not dig the tweezers into the skin, otherwise you could injure yourself further.
   • If you don't have debris or sand, you can move on to the next step.

2. 

   Clean the wound with an antiseptic solution. Once the bleeding has stopped, let warm water run over the wound to wash it off.Then rub the wound with an antiseptic solution such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or providone-Iodine solution. You can also soak the gauze in the solution and gently dab it on the wound to rinse it off. You need to be mentally prepared because it can be painful. Pat the wound dry with a sterile gauze pad or a clean towel.
   • This process disrupts blood clotting on the wound and blood can flow again. This is normal and is not a sign of a serious wound, as you may be able to stop the bleeding later.

3. 

   Apply an antibiotic cream to the scratch. Even if you think any dirt and debris has been removed, there is a potential for infection. Therefore, it is always a good idea to apply antibiotics. The ointment will also maintain moisture on the scratch, preventing it from cracking and worsening with movement. A thin layer of ointment or antibiotic powder to cover the wound is sufficient.
   • Neosporin, Polysporin and Bacitracin are 3 of the popular products.
   • You can use hydrogen peroxide to wash the wound at first, but it should not be used for a long time as hydrogen peroxide can damage the inner and surrounding tissue.

4. 

   Dressing. After applying the ointment, you need to cover the wound. Use gauze or a bandage to cover the wound. Apply medical tape to the edges of the gauze to help prevent dirt, germs, and other substances from getting into the wound. If the scratch is not too large, you can use a bandage instead of a gauze dressing.
   • These materials can be purchased in most pharmacies.
   • Rolled gauze is easier to use if the wound is on joints or moving. It is easier to fix the rolled gauze on the wound and it is also more difficult to come off.

5. 

   Change gauze. Change the gauze on the wound 2-3 times a day. Remove the bandage to clean the wound and change to a new one, and you can observe the wound to check for infection if any. Do not leave the dressing on the wound for more than 24 hours.
   • Change the bandage every time it gets wet or dirty, as a dirty band can cause the scratch to become infected.

6. 

   Watch for signs of infection. Even though you try to keep it clean, the scratch still has the potential of infection. This depends on the size of the scratch and other factors such as age, overall health and any other medical conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. These factors can also affect the time it takes to heal. Signs of infection are redness around the wound or on the edge of the wound, especially if it has spread. The wound may also begin to discharge discharge or pus.
   • If the fever is accompanied by a fever, you may have an infection.
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Part 3 of 3: Treating infected wounds

1. 

   Go to the doctor. If you think the wound is infected or the wound is bleeding that will not stop even after applying pressure, you need to seek medical attention. If you have been injured for a while and show signs of infection, you should also see your doctor. The infection if left for a long time can lead to blood poisoning and other life-threatening illnesses.
   • If you have a fever or the skin around the wound is warm, go to the hospital.
   • If the scratch is oozing yellow or green, you should see your doctor.
   • If you notice that the skin around the wound turns bright yellow or black, go to the hospital.

2. 

   Tetanus vaccination. If the wound becomes infected, you will be vaccinated against tetanus. Tetanus shots are usually given every 10 years, but if the wound is quite deep, your doctor may recommend a tetanus shot.
   • You should get the shot right after the injury to make sure that tetanus does not develop.

3. 

   Take an antibiotic. If the scratch is deep or the infection is severe, you will usually need to take antibiotics to fight or prevent further infection. The most commonly used antibiotic is erythromycin. If your doctor suspects you have a staph infection (MRSA), you will be prescribed a stronger medication. Follow your doctor's instructions when taking medication.
   • Usually, you will be prescribed a 250 mg drug, 4 times a day for 5-7 days by your doctor, taken half an hour to 2 hours before meals for maximum absorption.
   • You may also be prescribed pain relievers, depending on the severity of the pain.
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