Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts

  • Pressure: apply direct pressure (with clean gauze or cloth) for a full 10 minutes to stop bleeding (no peeking)
  • Wash: wash wound with soap and water for 5 minutes
  • Dirt: soak wound, then scrub with clean washcloth
  • Treat at home if: cut is minor, short, edges come together readily, and there is no numbness beyond wound
  • Antibiotic ointment: (over the counter) apply on cut, then cover with a Band-Aid, or gauze dressing (change every day)
  • Pain

Scrapes

  • Most common minor injury in young children
  • Outer layers of skin are scraped off
  • Bleeding: direct pressure (with clean cloth) for 10 minutes
  • Rinse: flush away debris
  • Wash: with warm water and soap for 5 minutes (do not use iodine or other antiseptics)
  • Apply antibiotic ointment (over the counter/like Neosporin)
  • If scrape is oozing, or large, cover with a sterile dressing
  • Check wound, clean, and change dressing every day
  • When firm scab formed, no dressing needed

When to call

Sutures (stitches) will probably be needed if:

  • Cut is split open, gaping, or deep
  • Any cut longer than ½ inch
  • On face: cuts longer than ¼ inch need sutures
Wounds generally need to be sutured within 12 hours (or less) on most areas of the body and within 12-24 hours on scalp and face.

Abrasions need to be evaluated in office if:

  • For deep skin loss
  • Area is large (more than 15% of body’s skin surface)

Also call for any of the following difficulties:

  • Bleeding: call if won’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure
  • Puncture wounds of the foot: call within 24 hours (call right away if there is foreign matter in the wound that you cannot remove)
  • Dirt: if can’t remove with 15 minutes of scrubbing
  • Foreign matter: if you think there is any chance of dirt, glass, etc. trapped in the wound
  • If wound looks infected at any time (increased pain, or any pus, redness, or swelling)
  • If wound does not heal within 10 days
  • Tetanus shot: need to get within 3 days if no booster in past 10 years (or past 5 years if high risk cut is badly contaminated; call during office hours for questions)
  • Call during office hours for any questions not answered above