Ouch!! (caring and treating the wounds)

"In general, it's better to cover fresh cut than leave it exposed."

While helping to prepare dinner, your dutiful husband accidentally cuts his hands. He insists it's minor. You think it may need stitches.

When do you need to see a doctor for a cut or a bad scrape? Let common sense and these tips be your guide:

Treating Minor Cuts
- most minor cuts and scrapes don't require a trip to a doctor. They usually heal on their own.

To Treat Minor Cuts and Scrapes:
1.) Stop the bleeding - most minor cuts stops bleeding from their own. If yours doesn't, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth.
2.) Keep the wound clean - for cuts, rinse thoroughly with water. Wrap gently around the edges with a soap washcloth or a cloth dabbed with hydrogen peroxide or iodine. There's no advantage of washing inside or pouring anything but pouring water on them. Rinse scrapes thoroughly too. I need be, gentle wash in and around the abrasion to remove embedded dirt or debris.
3.) Apply anti-biotic Ointment - after you clean the wound, apply a thin layer of an anti-biotic ointment atop cuts or scrapes to help keep the surface moist. The ointment may help your body's healing ability to close the wound more efficiently. Some people aloe or Vitamin E to cuts. These can irritate skin and are generally not recommended.
4.) Cover the wound - in general, it's better to cover a fresh cut than to leave it exposed. A bandage (any type) can help keep harmful bacteria out. Change the bandage at least once a day or whenever it comes wet and dirty.

When to See a Doctor?
Get to a doctor or emergency room if:

1.) A cut is severe (1/8 inch or deeper), gaping or jagged-edged.
2.) A severe cut is over a joint.
3.) A severe cut is in a place where you want to minimize scar formation.
4.) Debris or foreign matter is embedded.
5.) A scrape is large (the size of your palm or larger) or deep.
6.) It's a puncture wound.
7.) The wound occurred in severely contaminated environment.
8.) It's more than five to ten years since you have been tetanus shot

Treat severe cuts and scrapes the same as you would in minor wounds, but seek medical care quickly. The longer you wait, the greater possibility of infection.

How to care for puncture wounds?
- puncture wound such as stepping on a nail - doesn't usually result in excessive bleeding. Often, in fact, little blood will flow and the wound seems to close almost instantly. But these feature don't mean treatment is unnecessary. A puncture wound can be dangerous because of the risk of infection. The object that caused the wound may carry tetanus spores other bacteria, especially if it has been exposed to soil. If you sustain a puncture wound, see doctor to have the wound thoroughly cleaned. As a precaution, you may need a tetanus shot.

Will it Still Stitches?
- stitches are usually necessary if the wound extends deeply into the skin, or if injury is to an area wherein scarring is a concern. If stitches are necessary, the doctor will likely numb the area first. Your doctor may also recommend a tetanus shot.

Follow-up Care:
- your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve discomfort while you cut heals. Sometimes antibiotics are prescribe to decrease risk of infection. If at any time your cuts shows signs of infection - swelling, tenderness, inflammation, or discharge - contact your doctor.

Will it Leave a Scar?
- no matter how you treat them, most deep wounds that penetrate beyond first layer of the skin form a scar when healed. Even superficial wounds can form a scar in infection or re-injury occurs. With proper care, however, you can help keep scarring and infection to a minimum.