How to Treat a Small Cut or Scrape

However small the "owie," it can still hurt quite a lot (like the notoriously painful paper cut), and it requires your attention to avoid any risk of infection. When you've got a small cut or light abrasion, follow the steps below to make it feel--and heal--better. Seek medical help if the cut is bleeding profusely, is very deep, involves the eye area or causes concern.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Adhesive Bandages
• Butterfly Bandages
• Soap
• Adhesive Bandages
• Butterfly Bandages
• Soap
• Sterile Gauze

1. Have the person sit down if he or she is feeling weak.

2. Make sure the victim has had a tetanus shot within the last 10 years, especially if the wound is deep, dirty, involves an animal bite or is a puncture wound.

3. Before you touch the area, wash your hands with soap and water.

4. Apply light pressure to the area with sterile gauze to encourage blotting. It takes 5 to 8 minutes for bleeding to stop on a minor cut or abrasion.

5. Clean the area with soap and water. Remove any dirt or debris.

6. Allow the wound to air-dry before you apply a sterile adhesive bandage.

7. Use butterfly bandages or narrow adhesive strips on small cuts, especially on the face. These bandages pull the skin together to promote healing and minimize scars.

8. If the cut or scratch is on a knee, elbow or other joint, use an adhesive bandage designed to be flexible so that it can withstand lots of movement. This is especially useful for athletes, manual laborers and rambunctious children.

9. Replace the bandage every one to two days or after a bath or shower.

10. See a physician if the cut or scrape becomes swollen or irritated, or if the skin around it turns warm or red. The wound may be infected.

Tips & Warnings

• Resist the urge to pick at the scab, which can lead to scarring and infection.
• If the cut is on a prominent location on the face and you are worried about long-term scarring, visit a certified plastic surgeon. A plastic surgeon can use multiple, tiny sutures to reduce or eliminate scarring.

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on 5/15/2008 Please do not forget we live in THE AGE OF BLOOD BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASES. HIV and all forms of hepatitis are just a few to name. Always use some sort of protective layer (disposable non-latex or latex gloves are idea) between you and the injured person. Never assume that the person with the injury "couldn't possibly have an infectious disease"; it is simply not true and can put you at risk. However, by all means help your fellow human and do not shy away from doing so!

on 8/8/2006 If you get a small cut or scrape, onions come in handy. Take the thin skin on the outside of the onion and hold it over the cut. The bleeding will stop within seconds!

on 11/22/2005 Don't forget to use an antiseptic ointment!

on 11/22/2005 Pour a good amount of cold water over the cut. The cold water will stop the blood flow and will soothe the cut a bit. After the bleeding stops, apply Dettol (or any other antiseptic cream) to the wound. Make sure you do not leave the cut open while it is healing!