Cover Up Cuts

Cuts and scrapes can be embarrassing and unsightly, but there are ways to cover them up and help them heal faster. Treat your fresh cuts right away by cleaning them, treating them with antibiotic ointment, and covering them with a band-aid or piece of gauze. Once a cut is closed up, camouflage it with concealer, clothing, temporary tattoos, or fun decorative band-aids!

Steps

Treating a Fresh Cut

1. Assess how bad the cut is. Inspect your cut to see if it is deep enough to require stitches, or if you can treat it at home. If the wound is gaping, jagged, or exposing muscle or fat, see a doctor as soon as possible. The cut should be stitched within a few hours to reduce the risk of infection or scarring.
2. Wash your hands. It is important to remember to wash your hands before touching your cut or scrape to avoid infection. Wet and lather your hands with an antibacterial soap, then scrub for twenty seconds and rinse. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
3. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Shallow cuts and scrapes will usually stop bleeding on their own. If bleeding persists, apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If possible, elevate the wound to help stop the bleeding.
4. Clean the cut. Rinse the wound gently with clean, drinking-quality tap water. Wash the surrounding area with a gentle soap and water, avoiding the actual open wound, and pat it dry with a clean cloth or piece of gauze. Sterilize a pair of tweezers by cleaning them with alcohol, then use them to remove any dirt of debris that might be stuck to your cut.
   • If dirt or debris remain in the cut, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
   • Avoid using hydrogen peroxide or iodine to clean the wound, as they can further damage the tissue around your wound and make it harder to heal.
5. Put on antibiotic ointment. Shallow cuts or scrapes can heal on their own, but adding an antibiotic ointment can speed up the process. Purchase an ointment (such as Bacitracin ) at your local pharmacy. Apply a thin layer to your cut after cleaning and drying it thoroughly.
6. Cover the wound. Once the wound is dry, cover it with a Band-aid. Alternatively, cover the area with a small piece of gauze and attach the gauze to your skin with medical tape. The bandage should be changed whenever it gets wet or dirty, or if blood soaks through.
   • The dressing can be removed after a few days, once the cut has closed itself.

Hiding Cuts and Scrapes

1. Use concealer and an eyeliner brush. To hide cuts, scrapes, or scratches, purchase concealer makeup and an angled eyeliner brush (available at pharmacies or beauty supply stores). Apply the concealer with the brush just along the cut, making the line as fine as possible. Apply a light dusting of translucent powder over the area to set the makeup and prevent it from rubbing off.
   • Always use a clean brush and only apply makeup to a closed wound.
2. Wear camouflaging clothing. Clothing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to cover up cuts on your body. Long sleeves and pants (or long skirts) will hide cuts or scrapes while they heal. In warm weather, balance your outfit by wearing less-covering items of clothing on areas of your body that do not have blemishes.
   • For instance, if you wear longs sleeves to hide cuts or scrapes on your arms, wear shorts to balance out your look.
   • Be sure that your clothing is loose enough to give your cuts space to heal.
3. Apply a temporary tattoo. Temporary tattoos can be a fun way to cover your cuts once they have closed over. Purchase temporary tattoos at a beauty supply store or make your own temporary tattoos using eyeliner. After a few days, be sure to remove temporary tattoos as gently as possible with a gentle soap and water.
4. Wear decorative bandages. To hide your cuts in plain sight, make your own colorful bandages with decorative tape (available at craft stores or online). Attach a strip of colorful tape to the non-adhesive side of the bandage and trim away the excess tape around the edges. Apply it to your cut as you would a regular band-aid.

Warnings

• If your cuts show signs of infection (e.g. redness, increasing pain, swelling, discharge), contact a doctor immediately.

Sources and Citations

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See also

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• Induce Vomiting
• Call an Ambulance
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• Clear Blood Clots Naturally
• Treat a Hand Burn
• Stop a Nose Bleed
• Do Basic First Aid
• Treat Carpet Burns

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