Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAssess BleedingClean the WoundCover the WoundGet Medical HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Assess Bleeding
Clean the Wound
Cover the Wound
Get Medical Help
Frequently Asked Questions
Properly dressing a wound is one of the most basic first aid techniques there is. The process remains unchanged regardless of the size or severity of the injury. Whether it’s a child’s skinned knee or a gunshot wound, the tenets of wound dressing are identical.
Minor cuts and scratches can be treated at home or on the road. Largerlacerationsmay also need to be dressed until medical help can be obtained. Cleanliness is key.
Then, assess the bleeding. A little bleeding is okay because it helps flush dirt and other contaminants out of the wound, but heavy bleeding is bad.
Call 911 if there’s:
Do what you can to stop the bleeding.
How to Control Bleeding
Antibiotic ointment isn’t necessary for a wound to heal nicely. However, it can help reduce the pain of raw injuries, such as abrasions.
Hydrogen peroxide also isn’t necessary for cleaning a wound and it can be harmful. The bubbling action of hydrogen peroxide creates oxygen gas—more than the blood can handle. That can lead to a gas embolism, which is potentially fatal.
Very little evidence exists showing that hydrogen peroxide is effective on minor lacerations, and plenty of evidence is published on the merits of plain old water—so just use water.
Deep lacerationsextend into the tissues below the skin. If you can see layers of tissue along the sides of the laceration, it’s pretty deep. Puncture wounds are harder to evaluate and should be based on how long the offending object is.
Seek medical attention for a deep wound if it’s:
Also, get medical help if it’s been more than five years since the victim had a tetanus shot.
Frequently Asked QuestionsYou should stop covering a wound when there is a reduced risk of infection or further damage. A covered wound should have its bandages replaced daily. In some cases, bandaging may need to be replaced more frequently depending on how the wound heals. Be sure to closely follow a doctor’s instructions when taking care of a wound at home.The types of wound dressing are separated into modern and traditional dressings. Modern wound dressings include alginate, film, foam, hydrocolloid, and hydrogel. Traditional wound dressings include bandages, cotton wool, gauze, lint, and plasters. Each type of dressing has a certain variety of wound that it is most effective in treating.
You should stop covering a wound when there is a reduced risk of infection or further damage. A covered wound should have its bandages replaced daily. In some cases, bandaging may need to be replaced more frequently depending on how the wound heals. Be sure to closely follow a doctor’s instructions when taking care of a wound at home.
The types of wound dressing are separated into modern and traditional dressings. Modern wound dressings include alginate, film, foam, hydrocolloid, and hydrogel. Traditional wound dressings include bandages, cotton wool, gauze, lint, and plasters. Each type of dressing has a certain variety of wound that it is most effective in treating.
Treating Lacerations Based on Depth
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dreifke MB, Jayasuriya AA, Jayasuriya AC.Current wound healing procedures and potential care.Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2015;48:651-62. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.068Dhivya S, Padma VV, Santhini E.Wound dressings - a review.Biomedicine(Taipei). 2015;5(4):22. doi:10.7603/s40681-015-0022-9American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).Proper Wound Care: How to Minimize a Scar.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dreifke MB, Jayasuriya AA, Jayasuriya AC.Current wound healing procedures and potential care.Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2015;48:651-62. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.068Dhivya S, Padma VV, Santhini E.Wound dressings - a review.Biomedicine(Taipei). 2015;5(4):22. doi:10.7603/s40681-015-0022-9American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).Proper Wound Care: How to Minimize a Scar.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dreifke MB, Jayasuriya AA, Jayasuriya AC.Current wound healing procedures and potential care.Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2015;48:651-62. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.068Dhivya S, Padma VV, Santhini E.Wound dressings - a review.Biomedicine(Taipei). 2015;5(4):22. doi:10.7603/s40681-015-0022-9American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).Proper Wound Care: How to Minimize a Scar.
Dreifke MB, Jayasuriya AA, Jayasuriya AC.Current wound healing procedures and potential care.Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2015;48:651-62. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.068
Dhivya S, Padma VV, Santhini E.Wound dressings - a review.Biomedicine(Taipei). 2015;5(4):22. doi:10.7603/s40681-015-0022-9
American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).Proper Wound Care: How to Minimize a Scar.
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