How to Close a Wound During First Aid

Wounds that are small and gaping, or that are on the face or scalp, should be closed with tape or closure bandages to help healing and prevent scarring. Only close a wound that is small and has been thoroughly cleaned.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bandannas
• Evacuation Plan
• Wilderness First Aid Classes
• Water Filters
• Antibiotic Creams
• Benzoin
• Butterfly Bandages
• Compression Bandages
• Cotton Swabs
• Elastic Bandage Tapes
• Eyebrow Tweezers
• First Aid Kits
• Gauze
• Gauze Pads
• Gauze Wraps
• Irrigation Syringe
• Latex Gloves
• Nail Brushes
• Occlusive Dressings (Second Skin)
• Povidone-iodine
• Semi-occlusive Dressings (Telfa)
• Sterile Dressings
• Thermometers
• Butterfly Bandages
• Cotton Swabs
• Plastic Bags
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Evacuation Insurance
• Waterproof Tape
• Nalgene Bottle
• Safety Goggles
• Surgical Masks
• Safety Goggles
• Plastic bags
• Thermometers

Preparation

1. Scrub hands thoroughly with soap and disinfected water.

2. Put on latex gloves to prevent the spread of infectious disease.

3. Clean the wound thoroughly, including the area surrounding the wound. See "How to Clean a Wound During First Aid."

4. Carefully clip any hair that might get in the way of taping the wound shut. Do not shave the hair.

Apply Benzoin

5. Open a tincture of benzoin by squeezing the small plastic tube between your thumb and forefinger and breaking the inner tube that contains the benzoin.

6. Apply benzoin to both sides of the wound by pressing down on the applicator on the top of the tube. It's kind of like using a glue stick. Be careful not to get any benzoin in the wound, since it will irritate it.

Close the Wound

7. Apply closure tape to one side of the wound. Keep the other end of the tape loose so that you can use it to pull the wound closed.

8. Apply a second piece of closure tape to the opposite side of the wound, again leaving its other end loose to use as a handle for pulling.

9. Take both loose ends of the tape, which are on opposite sides of the wound, and pull them toward one another, lining up the skin at the edge of the wound and pulling it as close together as possible.

10. Stick the loose ends of the tape to the skin to hold the closure in place.

11. Apply a sterile dressing and bandage to the wound. See "How to Clean a Wound During First Aid" and "How to Bandage a Wound During First Aid."

Tips & Warnings

• Hold closure bandages on their ends so that you don't contaminate the wound.
• Do not close wounds that are large, especially dirty, on joints, or caused by animal bites. Carefully clean and bandage these, and seek professional medical care immediately. See "How to Clean a Wound During First Aid" and "How to Bandage a Wound During First Aid."
• Evacuate immediately if any of the following conditions occurs: blood flow cannot be stopped; a tourniquet has been applied; the wound is large or gaping widely; the wound involves a joint, foot, hand or face; the wound involves an embedded object; skin or parts of the body have been partially or completely severed.
• Gauze and bandages that have been removed from the injured person should always be handled with latex gloves or tweezers, and should be disposed of immediately. The best means of disposal is burning. Tweezers should be disinfected immediately after use.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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