Cuts and Scrapes
Banged up knees, grazes from stray tree branches and cuts and abrasions are all a part of a happy childhood. When it comes to providing first aid for your family’s minor scrapes, you’ve got two things in mind: you want to help relieve your child’s pain while helping to prevent infection. With mundicare® Antiseptic 100% Pure Oil, Gel,Spray – made with natural, single origin Australian Melaleuca Oil – in your home first aid kit, you can feel confident that you and your family are prepared.
Treatment
When it comes to minor abrasions and cuts, caring for them is simple. Still, if you miss a step or two, you risk the cut becoming infected, so it’s important that you follow each step to make sure your first aid for cuts is effective.
Perform hand hygiene by washing your hands.
To clean a small open wound or scrape, rinse the injured body part with sterile or fresh water. If there is debris in the wound, increase water pressure to rinse it from the wound, or gently remove it with sterile tweezers or your clean fingers. Do not scrub at the wound.
Allow the area to dry completely.
Disinfect the wound using an antiseptic such as mundicare® Antiseptic Gel. It won’t sting like alcohol based antiseptics often do, and it contains purified, single origin Australian melaleuca oil with natural anti-microbial properties to help reduce the risk of infection.
Use a non-stick, breathable wound dressing for a cut or scrape and change when it becomes soaked through or is uncomfortable.
Possible Signs of Infection
Sometimes, despite our best efforts or even the best efforts of trained health care workers, minor abrasions, cuts and scrapes still become infected.
Seek medical help if you see any of the following signs and symptoms¹:
- Fever with or without chills
- Heat at the site of the injury
- Redness and swelling, especially after the cut has seemed to be healing
- Pus or bad smells from the site
- Pain or soreness at the site
A medical professional should oversee treatment for any infected wound. It can be difficult to avoid cuts and scrapes, especially with children. However, try to keep your children’s play area free of objects that could cause dangerous lacerations or puncture wounds, and seek treatment for any wounds they receive as soon as possible.
¹ Updated by: Joshua Kunin a. Surgical wound infection – treatment: MedlinePlus Medical
Encyclopedia. Nlmnihgov. 2016. Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007645.htm.
What Is a Laceration?
A laceration or deep cut is a type of wound caused by tearing the skin and sometimes the underlying tissue. The wound has irregular edges, unlike a puncture wound, which usually has obvious edges at the site of injury. Lacerations are prone to infection and can easily become contaminated with debris.
Deep cuts are sometimes scary. You might wonder whether you should rush to the hospital and whether stitches are needed. An important rule to follow is that if you are ever in doubt, seeking medical treatment is always the best choice.
What Type of Lacerations and Deep Cuts Need Medical Treatment?
Seek medical treatment if:
- A foreign object or a high-impact projectile caused the deep cut.
- Something likely containing bacteria contaminated the wound, such as an area containing refuse or animal faeces.
- It is deep enough to expose underlying dermal tissue or yellow fat tissue.
- It is bleeding profusely or unremittingly.
- It is on or near genitalia or the face.
- It was caused by a human or animal bite.
If any of these indicators are present, clean the area, and head to your primary health care provider or emergency room. While on the way to medical treatment:
- Do not remove foreign objects that may be stuck in the deep cut.
- Avoid eating and drinking in case stitches or more advanced care will be needed.
- Apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds and elevate them above heart level to help stop bleeding.
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