Best way to heal cuts : minor cuts

A recent survey by the Wound Care Resource Center of Johnson & Johnson (the makers of Band-Aid® brand bandages) found:

• Nearly half of the people surveyed don’t routinely clean cuts.
• 70% don’t treat their cuts and scrapes with an antibiotic ointment.
• 60% don’t use a bandage to protect a cut or scrape.
• 72% think it’s best to let a wound air out and form a scab.

Now you should learn the best way to heal cuts . it is an easy-to-remember, three-step process

1. Clean
2. Treat
3. Protect

How to clean?

At home, you can wash the cut or scrape under strong running water with soap.

Try not to dab or wipe the cut or scrape with moist gauze. Dabbing can push dirt into the skin. Wiping with a gauze pad or washcloth can damage delicate injured skin. Flush or irrigate the cut or scrape, and let it air dry before you go to the next step.

How to treat?

After the cut or scrape is cleaned, apply antibiotic ointment. You have a number of product choices today. You can buy a tube of ointment and apply it to the injury (but don’t touch the tip of the tube to the skin so the tip stays sterile). Or you can buy special Band-Aids® that have antibiotic ointment already on the pad.

Some antibiotic ointments today have an anesthetic, or numbing medicine, mixed in to reduce pain. Check with the pharmacist at your pharmacy or discount store to help you select the right product for your particular needs.

How to cover?

Cover the cut with a band-aid. If you don’t have that use a cotton ball and tape.

Keep the cut or scrape covered until you see that new skin has formed and healing is well on its way. Take the bandage off once a day for a bath or shower, and then reapply the antibiotic ointment and bandage for the rest of the day.

Questions and answers:

What to eat to support healing?

Eat vitamin rich, fresh, raw vegetables and fruits. They provide enzymes to boost your immune system. Dark green and orange vegetables contain beta-carotenes, which are important to speed up healing. Limit dairy products, sugar and white flour, since they slow down tissue regeneration.

As for supplementation:
- Vitamin C, Bioflavanoids, and Vitamin A to promote healing and fight infection.
- Vitamin E (internal and external) to help prevent scars.

Cover or uncover??

Both medical and nursing researches show that keeping a wound covered and moist and preventing scabs is the best way to heal the skin and reduce scarring.

If you think the best way to heal cuts is to allow a scab to form, you’re not alone. Most people think that’s the best thing to do but for sorry it’s not.

If a scab forms, it blocks the body’s ability to make new skin cells. As a dermatologist explains, “Grass doesn’t grow well under a rock; skin cells don’t grow well under a scab.” These new cells heal the cut or scrape and reduce the risk of a scar. Scabs actually prolong the healing process! Scabs also tend to get bumped, picked, or torn, which can lead to re-injury or more scarring.

For more information you can refer to:

www.nursesnotebook.com

www.optiderma.com

If you have any questions or suggestions please leave a comment , I will be  happy to hear from you^_^

Best way to heal cuts : 1- Control bleeding

1. Minor wounds or scrapes usually stop bleeding quickly on their own.
   
2. Wounds on the head, face  or mouth may bleed longer because these areas are rich in blood vessels.
   
3. If a wound continues to bleed, you should apply firm yet gentle pressure to the wound with a clean cloth, tissue or bandage. Using a finger or hand, pressure should be continuously placed on the injury for 20 to 30 minutes.
   
4. Avoid lifting the cloth or bandage during this time to check if the bleeding has stopped. Doing so can damage the blood clot that is forming in the wound and cause the bleeding to begin again.
   
5. Raise the injury above the level of the heart to help control bleeding. A person with a wound on the arm or leg, for example, should raise the limb.
6. If blood soaks through the cloth or bandage, additional cloth or bandages should be placed over the existing material and more pressure should be applied.
7. If the bleeding does not stop in 10 minutes, seek medical care immediately.

For ” best way to heal cuts ” which are minor and ” when to call your doctor “, check next posts.

Best way to heal cuts : When should you call your doctor?