Care for Superficial Wounds

Superficial wounds are minor cuts, abrasions, and punctures that only affect the first two layers of your skin – the epidermis and the dermis. Even minor breakage of your skin allows foreign bodies (such as microbes and dirt) access into your body and thus, correct wound care is essential to avoid infection and more serious complications. This article will cover basic steps to care for superficial wounds (cuts, skin tears, abrasions, punctures, and burns) at home. For bigger wounds that continue to bleed, show signs of infection or are caused by animal bites, seek medical attention immediately!

Steps

Taking Care of Cuts

  1. Wash your hands. Open wounds are a gateway for bacteria to enter your body so it is essential that your hands are clean before you start caring for the cut. Use warm water and soap and dry your hands after you are done.[1]
    • If the cut is severe and bleeding heavily, skip the hand washing step and apply pressure to the wound immediately. Once you are controlling the bleeding, seek medical attention.
    • If you do not have access to water, use wet wipes or alcoholic soap to clean your hands or wear medical gloves.
  2. Rinse the affected area with clean water to remove all dirt and debris from the wound and the surrounding skin. It may be necessary to scrub the wound gently to remove all debris.[1]
    • After you are done, carefully pat the wound dry.
    • You may also flush the wound with a sterile saline solution if available.
  3. Control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound. Use a clean cloth or a towel. Continue applying pressure until the bleeding has stopped or mostly stopped. You may not be able to stop the bleeding entirely and this is fine.[1]
    • If possible, elevate the bleeding part above the level of the heart, such as lifting your arm above your heart or sitting on a chair and elevating your injured leg, to reduce blood flow.
    • Cool the affected area with a clean cloth dampened with cold water or ice pack wrapped in a towel if necessary (see Tips). The lowered temperature slows down blood flow to the area and reduces bleeding.
  4. Apply a thin layer of topical antimicrobial ointment to the affected area. Open wounds are a gateway for bacteria to enter your body. You can reduce the risk of infection by applying antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) to the skin around the cut.[1]
    • Only apply a thin layer and use the medication according to the label.
    • Do not use topical antimicrobial ointment for cuts that are deep and penetrate blood vessels without consulting your doctor first.
  5. Place a bandage over the cut. Try to place the bandage so that you bring the edges of the cut together to help seal the cut.[1]
    • Use a non-stick bandage or a sterile pad and tubular bandage to hold the pad in place.
  6. Change the bandage a few times a day, especially if it becomes wet or dirty. Take care not to pull the wound apart when you remove the bandage. If the cut begins to bleed, apply pressure until the bleeding stops.
    • Re-apply antimicrobial ointment (if needed) when you apply a clean bandage.
    • Keep the cut moist and covered until the skin has had time to heal.
    • Leave the cut open to air once it has sealed and no longer susceptible to rip open.

Taking Care of Minor Burns

  1. Halt the burning process to stop the injury. Even if you are no longer in contact with the cause of the burn (such as an open flame or the sun), tissue damage can continue. Thus, it is essential you reduce further damage first before attempting to clean the injured area.[2]
    • Place the affected part under cool running water for approximately 15-20 minutes.
    • If the burn is on your face, hands, over a joint, or is large, seek medical attention right away.
    • Use warm water for less harsh chemicals or when there is chemical exposure to the eyes.
    • It is also important that you call your doctor if you have a chemical exposure to your eyes or mouth as this can cause more serious complications.
    • In the case of a chemical burn, you must neutralize the burning chemical. If you are unsure how to do this, seek medical attention.
    • If you are not near water, apply a cool compress to the area such as an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
  2. Apply lotion to the burn. Use aloe vera lotion or gel or a low-dose hydrocortisone cream to protect the skin and help the healing process.[2]
    • Be sure to pat dry the skin before applying any lotion if needed.
    • Reapply the aloe vera lotion throughout the day to ensure the affected area remains moist, but don't use hydrocortisone cream more than twice a day.
  3. Take over-the-counter pain reliever if the burn is causing pain. Burn injuries can be painful and thus you may want to take an over-the-counter pain medication (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen).[2]
    • Use the medication according to the label and do not exceed the recommended dose. In case of severe or continuing pain, seek medical attention.
  4. Try to keep blisters intact. Burn injuries often result in blisters -- fluid-filled pockets under your skin.[2]
    • If the blister breaks, rinse the area with water, apply antimicrobial ointment and cover the area with a non-stick bandage.
  5. Watch the area for signs of infection. If redness, tenderness, swelling or drainage develops, apply antimicrobial ointment and cover the burn with clean gauze to protect it while it heals.
    • Contact a physician if the burn gets worse, doesn't appear to ease, it looks infected and is not getting better quickly with home care, or develops severe blisters or discoloration of any kind.

Taking Care of Punctures

  1. Wash your hands before attempting to care for the wound. Use warm water and soap and rinse at least for 30 seconds to ensure your hands are clean.[1]
    • Also, dry your hands well before touching the affected area to reduce the risk of infection.
  2. Rinse the affected area with clean water to remove dirt and debris. If washing does not remove all debris, use tweezers cleaned with alcohol to remove the particles. Also, remove the object that caused the puncture if still present.[3]
    • If the object that caused the puncture is still inside your skin and cannot be removed completely, or if you cannot remove the object without causing further damage, seek medical attention.
  3. Apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop bleeding. If bleeding occurs, apply pressure to stop it. You can use a clean cloth to press the injury or, if available, an ice pack wrapped in a towel.[1]
    • Depending on the type and size of the injury, the puncture might not be bleeding at all.[4]
  4. Apply a thin layer of antimicrobial ointment over the area. Do this ONLY for superficial wounds. If the wound is large, open and affects deep tissues, do not apply any topical medication and seek medical attention.
  5. Cover the wound with a clean dressing or a bandage. This will help keep the wound clean and reduces the risk of infection and other complications.[1]
    • Change the bandage a few times a day and every time it gets wet or dirty.
    • Consult your doctor whether you should receive a tetanus booster shot within 48 hours. This is usually recommended if it's been more than 5 years since you've had a tetanus shot. Even minor puncture wounds can lead to infection.
  6. Watch the area for signs of infection (redness, pain, pus or swelling). If the wound is not healing or you notice excessive pain, warmth, redness and/or drainage, seek medical attention immediately.

Taking Care of Skin Tears

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly. Use warm water and hand soap to wash away visible dirt. Avoid touching the wound with dirty hands as this can lead to infection.[1]
    • If you do not have access to clean water, use gloves or a wet wipe to clean your hands.
  2. Rinse the wound with clean water to wash away dirt. Be careful not to rip the loose piece of skin (if still attached) apart. Gently pat or air-dry the affected area afterward.
  3. Cover the wound with a bandage. If the loose piece of skin is still present, place it back over the wound to cover it before you apply the bandage. This will help seal the wound.
    • Optionally, you can also use a nonstick, non-adhesive sterile pad and a tubular bandage to hold the pad in place.
    • Change the bandage a few times a day, especially if it becomes wet. Carefully remove the old bandage, rinse the wound gently if needed, and apply a new bandage.

Tips

  • Learn about First Aid before you need it. Be prepared.
  • A good protective device for wound dressings on the hand is to just wear a rubber glove. The glove will help keep the dressing clean and dry.
  • Wash the wound with clean water only. Do not use alcohol, iodine solution, or hydroxide peroxide. If the the affected area is extremely dirty, use regular soap to remove tough dirt.
  • Get a tetanus shot booster if you have not received one in the past 5-10 years.
  • Be alert of possible allergic reaction to neomycin found in some antimicrobial ointments. Signs of this include itching, redness, swelling, or a rash where the ointment is applied. If this occurs, stop using it and call your doctor for advice.
  • Wear clean medical gloves if you have them when treating others. Dispose of the gloves by sealing them in a bag (plastic zip-locks work well) and discarding them where they cannot be handled by others.
  • To make an ice pack: fill a Ziploc sandwich bag about 1/2 full of (preferably crushed) ice and seal. Wrap in a dish towel or pillowcase. Ice packs are used to cool burns, reduce swelling and bruising after an impact injury, and to slow bleeding initially, in the case of an open wound. Remove the cold pack every 10-15 minutes or if it becomes uncomfortable and allow the skin to warm up. This protects you from freezing and further damaging the skin.

Warnings

  • If in doubt, seek medical attention.
  • Keep pressure on the wound until bleeding stops, but do not cut off circulation to the area completely.
  • If the wound is bleeding profusely, or blood is pulsating from the wound, do not waste time trying to clean the wound. Control bleeding first, then seek prompt medical attention.
  • If the wound bleeds through the applied bandages, do NOT remove the bandages to apply new ones. Doing so would interrupt the clotting process and cause more bleeding. In such a case, it is best to simply layer more bandages on top of the bandages and seek medical attention.
  • Do NOT apply hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, iodine, betadine, or any other "disinfectant" to an open wound unless specifically instructed to do so by a physician. These chemicals are very irritating, can destroy newly growing cells, and may increase, rather than reduce, the potential for complications in healing.
  • Seek medical attention if you are unable to stop the bleeding in ten minutes and/or if there is something in the wound that will not easily rinse out.
  • These instructions are for minor, superficial wounds only. For deep wounds that penetrate beyond the dermis or for a burn is on your face, hands, over a joint, seek medical attention right away.
  • If infection develops that is not resolved quickly with antimicrobial ointment, seek medical attention. Signs and symptoms of infection include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling of the affected area, and possibly yellow or green opaque drainage from the wound.
  • If you have a chemical burn from an unknown substance, or if you feel the burn is deeper than just the first two layers of skin, or is in the eyes or mouth, seek medical attention right away.

Things You Need

  • Antimicrobial ointment such as Neosporin
  • Bandages
  • Gauze pads or clean cloths
  • Rolled gauze
  • Clean water
  • Medical rubber or vinyl gloves

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/res/VPTC2/8%20Paramedical%20Services/ABCs_Skin_and_Wound_Care.pdf
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-20056649
  3. ↑ http://www.ncemi.org/cse/cse1015.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-puncture-wounds/basics/art-20056665
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