Proper initial care reduces infection risk and promotes optimal healing.
Immediate Steps
- Control bleeding: Apply direct pressure with clean gauze/cloth for 5–10 minutes continuously. Elevate if extremity. Do not peek.
- Cleanse: Irrigate with cool running water (tap water is fine). Remove visible debris. Avoid hydrogen peroxide, iodine, alcohol—they damage tissue.
- Assess: Depth, length, location, foreign body sensation. If deep (>¼ inch), gaping, over joint, on face, or from dirty/rusty object → seek professional evaluation.
- Antibiotic ointment: Thin layer of bacitracin/polymyxin (e.g., Polysporin) or petrolatum (Vaseline) keeps wound moist—enhances healing.
- Dress: Non‑adherent sterile pad + rolled gauze or adhesive bandage. Change daily or if wet/soiled.
Ongoing Care
- Keep moist (petrolatum) and covered until epithelialized.
- Monitor for infection: increasing redness, warmth, swelling, purulent discharge, red streaks, fever.
- Tetanus prophylaxis: Update if >10 years (clean wound) or >5 years (dirty wound) since last booster.
When to Seek Medical Care
- Bleeding uncontrolled after 15 min pressure.
- Deep, jagged, or gaping wound (may need sutures).
- Embedded foreign body.
- Animal/human bite.
- Signs of infection.
- Underlying diabetes, immunosuppression, anticoagulation.
Simple wounds heal well with clean, moist, protected care. When in doubt, have a clinician evaluate.
