Wounds & Injuries

The bacteria called staphylococcus aureus is the cause of staph infections. Obviously you need to treat staph infections, under medical supervision. Anytime you have skin infections, treatment is...

Skin on the human body protects our insides against infection and disease. When it is punctured or burned, an opening presents itself for bacteria and dirt. The skin will heal naturally on its...

An anesthetic digital block is used to numb an entire finger or toe. The injection is given at the base of the digit on either side to prevent the transmission of pain signals. Anesthetic digital...

Pressure wounds, also known as pressure sores or bedsores, are ulcerous patches of skin and tissue that form when sustained pressure cuts off blood flow to that part of the body. Without blood,...

Frostbite is damage to skin tissue caused by prolonged exposure to cold, usually at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Skin freezes into ice crystals, causing cells to rupture and blood to stop...

A bed sore, also referred to as a pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcer, is caused by constant pressure to a part of the body. This pressure causes skin breakdown by decreasing blood flow to the area...

Scratches, scrapes and acne blemishes can cause the skin to react by developing a scab, which can turn into a scar once the scab has healed completely. Treating a scar early can ensure that the...

A carbuncle is a mass of multiple boils on and under the surface of the skin. Carbuncles are contagious abscesses infected with bacteria that must be drained before they will begin to heal. The...

An open wound is an external cut that differs from a closed wound, like a bruise, where the skin is unbroken. There are five general types of open wounds. Open and closed wounds are both health...

Ingrown nails occur when a nail grows into the skin. The most common causes of ingrown nails are cutting the nails too short and wearing tight shoes. An ingrown nail can occur on any finger or...

The main difference between a closed wound and open wound is that in a closed wound, the skin is not broken open and remains intact. There is less of a chance that a closed wound will become infected.

A keloid is scar tissue that grows excessively after an injury heals, sometimes extending beyond the original wound site. Even seemingly minor injuries such as acne and piercings can cause keloids.

Arnica (Arnica montana) is an herb that has been used medically since the 1500s by the peoples of the Americas and Europe. It has a wide range of uses and can be administered topically for...

You're riding your bike down the sidewalk when suddenly a stick jumps in your way and makes you crash. You feel that stinging pain on your knee, and within a few minutes, you see blood trickling...

Ever since the invention of super glue, there have been super glue accidents. Hands have been attached to wood. Fingers have become stuck together. The thought of it is funny, unless it happens to...

Ingrown fingernails can affect many people; causing skin tenderness, pain, inflammation, and irritation. The problem occurs when the edge of the fingernail grows into the flesh, becoming embedded...

Frostbite is a very dangerous condition that occurs when skin freezes. This can occur at temperatures of as high as 40 degrees F if the wind is strong enough and the exposure time long enough.

Frostbite can cause permanent damage to skin and underlying tissues, even when medically treated, if it is severe enough. It occurs when the tissue temperature falls below the freezing point. High...

The skin is one of the largest organ systems. Skin is composed of two main layers, the outer epidermis and the corium, which lies beneath. When the epidermis is wounded, the process of regrowth of...

Hypertrophic scars occur when there is an overgrowth of fibrous tissue at the site of an injury. After the wound is repaired, the tissue continues to build up and becomes an elevated scar....

Laser light therapy can be very effective at treating various injuries to the skin and other soft tissues. It's especially good for those who have chronic or sharp pain. Many types of laser light...

The term "aloe" refers to the Aloe barbadensis plant from which the highly beneficial aloe vera juice is extracted. Aloe vera has been used topically for centuries to treat a variety of skin...

Old scars are embarrassing and can make you very self-conscious about your appearance. Many adults still carry scars that they acquired during their youth. These scars were easy to get but are...

Stretch marks are unsightly and cause us grief by their very existence. Almost everyone experiences these at some point in his or her life. The causes of stretch marks are varied and some occur...

Pressure ulcers, more commonly known as bed sores, develop on areas of a person's body where prolonged pressure cuts off circulation. They are most prevalent on the buttocks, hips and heels....

Dry gangrene is identified by dry and wrinkly skin that may appear in a range of colors from brown to purple to black. This form of gangrene tends to develop slowly and results from reduced blood...

Hydrocolloid dressings can significantly speed and enhance wound healing when used correctly.

Bedsores are painful, red patches on the body that develop if too much pressure is put on an area for an extended period of time. If left untreated, the skin can open and deteriorate, leaving a...

Frostbite happens when the fluids in the body's skin and tissues freeze. Contributing factors of frostbite include wind, humidity, high altitude, ingestion of alcohol or drugs, prolonged exposure...

An ingrown nail occurs when a portion of your nail punctures the skin. This causes an infection in most cases and leads to minor discomfort or serious pain, depending on the severity of the...

Injuries are far too common for most people. At some point in most of our lives, we will receive a wound. Whether major or minor, any injury that tears flesh is not only painful, but dangerous....

Skin is a complex organ that serves many vital functions. It protects internal organs, prevents intrusion of bacteria, controls body temperature, and receives sensory stimulation from the...

Although an ingrown toenail is a more common problem, an ingrown fingernail is not an unheard of condition. An ingrown fingernail can occur after poor nail care or an accident. Some people may...

Ingrown toenails are the most common affliction podiatrists treat. Almost everyone will have an ingrown toenail at some point in his life, but some unlucky individuals are plagued with ingrown...

Scar formation is a natural response to injuries that result in skin damage. A scar is composed of a tissue called collagen that is released when an injury causes damage deeper than the outer...

A blister is a collection of liquid beneath or within the epidermis that causes the skin to bubble and swell. It generally is formed by constant friction or rubbing from shoes, rough cloth or...

Laser surgery has become an effective option for scar reduction for the skin. The early uses of the laser procedure were for keloids and hypertrophic scars, which were caused by the continued...

Hibiclens is used to treat wounds and skin adjacent to the wound; it may be prescribed by its generic name, chlorhexidine. The medicine comes in liquid form, and is classified as a topical...

Pepper spray, also known as Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, is a popular non-lethal, self-defense weapon that when properly used, can be very effective in deterring an assailant. It is not,...

Hot liquids are the number one cause of burns among people in the United States. Because these burns are so common, it's important to know how to treat them. When dealing with a burn from hot...

A bruise occurs as a result of an injury. It differs from an open wound, in that the blood vessels beneath the skin are broken but the blood does not come out to the surface. Instead, it pools...

Scars are a long-term side effect of any injury, capable of creating cosmetic difficulties for years. Yet while most scars are generally unobtrusive, keloid scars are distinctive in that they are...

Mederma, a topical treatment manufactured by Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is a popular remedy for treating scars from surgery, accident injuries, acne and burns as well as stretch marks. It is...

A toenail becomes ingrown when one of the sides of the nail begins to grow into the skin and eventually breaks the skin. This can cause a painful infection that can even make walking a pain. Some...

Are you annoyed by the throbbing sensation that you are feeling in your foot from your ingrown toe nail? The average person has suffered or will suffer from an ingrown toe nail once in their life...

Skin infections can result from a cut, scrape, insect bite, burn or any other skin wound. Following an injury, many people are left wondering, "How do I know if I have a wound...

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a member of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) family and is naturally present in our body. It is located within our cartilage, connective tissue, joint fluid and skin. Hyaluronic...

A skin graft is used to help heal burned, wounded or ulcerated skin that cannot regenerate on its own. The skin used for the graft can be taken from another area of the body or from other sources,...

Staging a pressure ulcer can be quite complicated. There are some simple principles that will make your life easier. There are four standard stages, as well as unstageable and deep tissue injury.

Anyone who has followed the adventures of Mt. Everest explorers or heard stories about skiers and hikers who got lost in the snow has heard about the dangers of frostbite. But what is frostbite,...