Abrasion - Cuts and Scrapes and How to Care for Them

If you cut or scrape yourself then the priority will be to stop the bleeding. You might do this by applying gentle pressure with a bandage, but if this fails to stop the bleeding after 20 minutes you may want to seek medical advice.

Once the bleeding has stopped the cut will need to be cleaned, and any material removed that may lead to infection (such as grit and dirt). Do not dig deep into the wound to remove debris as this may result in pushing it in further. You should then cover the wound with a bandage to protect the wound, and can apply an antibiotic cream to help with the process.

When should you seek medical advice?

As mentioned, you should seek medical help if the bleeding cannot be controlled. Also, very deep cuts may need stitches, and the sooner they are put in then the less likely it is that the cut will become infected.

There are certain conditions that may leave patients more likely to develop an infection, which can include patients undergoing chemotherapy, those with diabetes and other conditions such as HIV. In these cases it is more important to visit the doctor even if the wound may seem fine at first.

Signs of Wound Infection

Infected wounds may becoming increasingly red and painful as well as swollen, or have a pus leaking from the wound. If there is a streaking redness around the wound this can be more serious than a normal infection, and immediate medical attention should be sought.

In the case of puncture wounds, there may not be too much bleeding but the wound could still be very deep and require medical attention to prevent infection. Most puncture wounds will not become infected, but monitor them for the same signs of infection as regular wounds.