How and with what to treat cuts on the skin: features, algorithm of actions and recommendations. How to properly treat wounds, abrasions, scratches and small cuts

Fingers are the most susceptible to a variety of injuries. Cooking, gardening, car repairs, home repairs, and many other daily activities involve manual work and, therefore, can cause injury to the fingers, the most common of which are cuts to the thumb and forefinger. Every person should know how to act if he cut his finger.

Shulepin Ivan Vladimirovich, traumatologist-orthopedist, highest qualification category

The total work experience is more than 25 years. In 1994 he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Medical and Social Rehabilitation, in 1997 he completed residency in the specialty "Traumatology and Orthopedics" at the Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics. N.N. Prifova.

There are several types of cuts:

Cuts caused by blunt objects are characterized by ragged edges of the wound, can be combined with bruises and flattening of soft tissues, which complicates the treatment.
Wounds from sharp objects have smooth edges, which facilitates healing. However, deep cuts are often applied with sharp objects, which can affect, in addition to skin with small capillaries, large vessels, ligaments, and even bones.
Another type of injury is more of a puncture than a cut. They are also applied with sharp thin objects. The treatment of such puncture cuts is complicated by the fact that the wound channel is usually narrow and deep. The finger quickly swells, but the blood does not stop, it soaks the tissues around, because of this, the wound quickly rots, the finger begins to abscess. Such cuts are characterized by blue finger.
Often, the finger is not just cut, but a piece of flesh is cut off. In this case, it is extremely important to protect the wound from the ingress of pathogenic microorganisms, since the open area is much larger than with a conventional cut.

First aid for a deep cut

Deep cuts can be complicated by tendon incisions. It is easy to get such an injury if you cut your finger with a blender or other electrical device of sufficient power to deeply cut the flesh. With such injuries loss of sensation in the finger. The patient cannot move, bend and unbend them.

These symptoms are a direct indication to see a doctor.

In most cases it is necessary surgical intervention- stitching tendons, stitching the cut. Self-treatment can lead to serious complications. But first you need to provide emergency assistance.

Initially, you need to determine the intensity of bleeding. If the blood pulsates or whips in a constant stream, it means that a vessel much larger than a capillary is affected. Necessary stop bleeding as soon as possible. To do this, a tourniquet or elastic band is applied to the finger above the cut. It drags on exactly until the moment the blood stops, no more. It is better to fix the time when the tourniquet was applied. Every 30-40 minutes it is necessary to loosen the tourniquet, in order to avoid the death of tissues to which blood access has been limited.

The second step is to wash the wound. As a rule, a 3 or 6 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide is used for this, which also has hemostatic properties. If there is no peroxide at hand, then it is permissible to rinse the wound under running cold water. However, many doctors do not recommend doing this with tap water, because the quality of the pipes often leaves much to be desired, there is a high risk of infection.

After the wound is washed, applied moderately tight bandage gauze or bandage. You can also use any piece of clean cotton or linen fabric.

After this, the victim must be immediately taken to the hospital or call an ambulance. All this time, it is better to keep the wounded hand raised, at face level, this will help slow down or even stop the bleeding.

How to treat a cut on your finger

The treatment of cuts consists of 4 main stages: washing, stopping bleeding, treating the wound, dressing.

Washing

So, first of all, you need to examine the wound. If there are foreign objects inside, they must be removed. It is convenient to use tweezers for this. To remove the remaining dust, dirt, and possibly particles of the injured object from the wound, for example, pieces of glass, it must be washed and disinfected. Does this job well hydrogen peroxide solution. It must be poured directly into the wound. There, the peroxide begins to foam, thereby pushing out everything superfluous. It also exhibits antiseptic properties. In addition to peroxide, water can be used to wash the wound. furatsilina solution or soapy water. It is important to thoroughly rinse the soapy solution with cold running water after the procedure. Properly performed procedure will allow you to keep the walls of the wound in its original position, which will contribute to the speedy healing.

Stopping the blood

After the wound is washed, it is necessary to stop the bleeding.

Usually, with a shallow cut, the blood itself stops for 10-15 minutes.

Provided that the victim, for some reason, does not have impaired blood clotting. It is enough to keep your hand elevated after washing. If the bleeding does not stop within the specified time, you need to press the cut with a bandage or cloth. When blood continues to show through the bandage, another tighter bandage should be applied over the old one. You can not remove the old bandage until the bleeding stops. Because there is a risk of removing already caked blood and provoking bleeding with renewed vigor.

Bleeding that cannot be stopped in this way for 20-30 minutes can be dangerous - you need to see a doctor.

The tourniquet is used exclusively for wounding large vessels, as it severely restricts blood circulation. Incorrect use of it can lead to irreversible consequences.

Wound treatment

After stopping the blood, it is necessary to remove the hemostatic bandage, if it has been applied. It is better to moisten a dried bandage with a solution of furacilin, for its painless removal. If necessary, wipe the wound with a swab moistened with the same solution to remove the remnants of the dressing. Then dry the cut with a piece of dry, clean cloth. Next, the wound is treated with an antiseptic to prevent infection and subsequent suppuration. The skin around the wound is treated alcohol solution of iodine or brilliant green.

It is extremely important to ensure that these drugs do not get on the edges, and even more so directly into the wound, because there they can kill living tissue.

This will slow down tissue regeneration and make treatment more difficult. In addition, the alcohol solution will cause additional pain, which is especially undesirable if the child has injured the finger. The wound itself is treated with antibiotic ointments such as levomekol, methyluracil, gentamicin ointment, levosin, tetracycline ointment. It is important to apply the ointment in moderate doses. Too much ointment causes softening of the edges of the cut, which complicates the treatment. After treating the wound, it must be properly bandaged.

dressing

To begin with, it is recommended to wrap your finger paper strip soaked in hydrogen peroxide, this will help to avoid pain when changing the bandage. Paper must be clean, without text. Printer inks and inks contain harmful substances. In this case, the edges of the wound should be moved together as much as possible, especially if the wound is deep, to the meat. A bandage is applied over the paper to the finger. It should be tight enough to hold the edges of the wound together. At the same time, the bandage should not strongly squeeze the finger, block the blood flow. Blood supplies oxygen to damaged tissues. This promotes faster healing.

With a small cut, you can do bactericidal plaster.

The bandage is changed once a day.

With proper treatment, small cuts heal completely in 4-5 days. Deeper cuts complicated by suppuration or damage to the ligaments heal much longer.

If the wound festered, then the treatment process can be delayed up to 10-12 days.

Damaged ligaments recover from 3-4 weeks to 3 months.

Factors affecting the rate of wound healing

Healing depends on many factors. The main ones are:

Blood supply. The tissues must be adequately supplied with oxygen, which is delivered by the blood. The higher the oxygen concentration in the tissues, the more actively the immune system works, the vessels and skin integuments are restored faster, the production of collagen is accelerated - one of the most important proteins that plays a key role in the process of tissue regeneration of the human body.
The diet is patient t a. For the production of collagen fibers, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates are needed. A large number of these components contain meat, dairy products, nuts.
High-quality isolation of the wound from the external environment. Microorganisms trapped in the wound not only cause purulent inflammation. They also absorb oxygen, which is so necessary for immune processes.

Possible Complications

Even the smallest, at first glance, insignificant cut can result in a number of complications.

The most common of these is inflammation with suppuration. The edges of the wound become red, swelling is noticeable. The patient is worried about throbbing pain in the finger. Especially often this complication manifests itself in cuts with a deep narrow channel. From suppuration, dressings with Levomekol ointment, as well as its analogues, such as Ichthyol ointment and balsamic liniment according to Vishnevsky, help well. They effectively cope with inflammation, draw pus well from the wound.

An extremely dangerous complication is infection of the wound with a bacterium that causes tetanus. This disease affects the nervous system. It is incurable! If the cut was caused by a dirty object such as glass or a rusty nail. Be sure to rinse the cut thoroughly and see a doctor for tetanus toxoid injections.

Finger cuts are very common household injuries. You can cut yourself with a knife in the kitchen, with a razor at the mirror, even with a sheet of office paper. The vast majority of finger cuts are not terrible. They are easily treated at home. However, even the smallest cuts should not be neglected.

It is important to take the necessary treatment measures in time.

Ignoring them threatens with the most unpleasant consequences.

Every home and every workplace should have first aid kit with essentials for first aid: cotton wool; bandage; bactericidal plaster; tourniquet; hydrogen peroxide; furacilin tablets; iodine or green; antibiotic ointment.

First aid for cuts. How to act to help yourself or anyone affected

Wounds are one of the most common injuries in humans. With them, the integrity of the skin is violated, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels and internal organs can be damaged. The affected area depends on the location and depth of the injury.

Wound classification

All skin lesions can be attributed to a specific type. So, in everyday life, most often people are faced with cuts. They are made with sharp objects on a tangent. You can cut yourself with a blade, an ordinary knife, a piece of glass. With such damage, it is enough just to know

But with deep stab injuries, it is not recommended to self-medicate. Depending on the depth of the puncture, both the skin, muscles, and internal organs can be affected. There is another type of damage in which it is also better to consult a doctor. These are the so-called chopped wounds. They occur after being struck by a pointed heavy object, such as an axe. The doctor should assess the complexity of such damage. He will be able to check the integrity of bones, internal organs, and, if necessary, sew up such a wound.

Household injuries

Most often, people ask themselves how to treat a wound when it comes to a shallow cut with a knife, a broken knee, and other simple injuries to the skin and muscles. Even with a small scratch, it is important to properly approach the process of its disinfection. In most cases, an ordinary household wound poses no threat and can heal without problems. The main danger is that an infection can get into it. This is what you should pay attention to in the first place.

It is worth knowing that from the point of view of surgeons in everyday life, people usually receive minor injuries. Therefore, if you know how to treat a wound, there is no point in going to the hospital. Of course, we are not talking about cases where the incision is so large and deep that it needs to be sewn up. It is also worth going to the emergency room if the wound is deep, it contains dirt or foreign bodies. So, for example, if you stepped on a rusty nail, then you should not wait until the puncture site heals itself. It is important to clean all the dirt in time and properly treat the wound. Also, many deep, contaminated, or bleeding wounds require the administration of tetanus toxoid.

Action tactics

If you have a minor domestic injury, then you can independently figure out how to properly treat the wound. First of all, it must be washed with soap. This must be done from the center to the outer edges. Otherwise, you can only aggravate the situation by increasing the number of microbes in its middle. But if you're just using a clean, sharp knife, then you can skip this step.

After that, you can already begin to disinfect the site of damage. For this, it is important to know how to treat the wound. So, the problem area must be filled with an antiseptic. Hydrogen peroxide is considered ideal. By the way, it is highly undesirable to use cotton wool for any cuts. If its fibers get inside, then it will be very difficult to get them out. And they will contribute to the development of infection. In this case, the healing of the damaged area will be difficult. It is desirable to treat the edges of the wound with an iodine solution. This will prevent the entry of germs from neighboring skin areas. But pouring it inside the cut is strictly prohibited!

After that, the wound must be covered with a sterile napkin, which will need to be fixed with a plaster or bandage. Please note that the bandage should be changed as it begins to get wet. In this case, the damage site can be moistened with peroxide each time.

When to go to the hospital

If you doubt that you can provide yourself with qualified assistance, and the wound you received seems too big and deep, then it is better to go to the doctor. The specialist will properly wash it, disinfect it and apply a sterile bandage. If necessary, he will sew it up and inject you with tetanus toxoid. It is also necessary to see a specialist if you received an injury more than 6 hours ago, and during this period of time you did not have the opportunity to properly process it. It is imperative to show the doctor the wounds in which it is impossible to stop the bleeding. This may be due to damage to large vessels.

You should not continue to self-medicate if you see the appearance of exudate in the wound. Even if you know how to treat a purulent wound, you should show it to a specialist. He will be able to choose the most appropriate tactics of action.

Signs of infection

Each person should not only know how to treat an open wound, but also be aware of what indicates a deterioration in the condition. So, a sign that bacteria continue to multiply in it will be the following factors:

Swelling of the edges, their inflammation;

Redness of the skin around the site of the lesion;

Temperature increase;

Shooting or stabbing pain at the incision site.

When the condition is neglected, a general reaction of the body may begin, a fever will appear. Infection is also accompanied by general malaise.

The next step will be the appearance of exudate. In this case, it is up to the doctor to decide what to do next with the damaged area. He may prescribe one of the water-soluble ointments. These include "Levomekol", "Dioxidine ointment 5%", "Furagel", "Streptonitol", "Miramistin 0.5%", "Nitacid" and a number of others. The doctor will also explain how to treat a purulent wound and prescribe an antiseptic. It can be in the form of a solution, for example, "Dimephosphone 15%", "Furagin potassium 0.2%", "Iodopyron" or an aerosol - "Gentazol", "Dioxysol". The listed drugs should not be prescribed to yourself on your own, they should be prescribed by a doctor, taking into account the patient's condition.

How to treat damage at home

If you have a shallow fresh wound, then you can independently figure out what needs to be done. But for this it is important that you have a stocked first aid kit. It is not enough just to know how to treat a wound, you also need to have the right tools at hand.

It is desirable that in each first aid kit there is a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. It is a universal antiseptic, which can be safely poured even on open wounds. An alcohol solution of brilliant green is able to destroy pathological microorganisms that may be in the wound. The advantage of this drug is that it is able to maintain its antiseptic properties for a long time.

Fukortsin is less known in our country, but it can also be used for disinfection. It is suitable for the treatment of any areas of the skin, including mucous membranes. This preparation of bright crimson color is washed off the skin better than brilliant green. But he has contraindications - the period of breastfeeding and pregnancy.

Understanding how to treat a wound, do not forget about iodine. Its solution cannot be poured onto an open area of damage, but it is ideal for processing its edges. It will not allow bacteria from neighboring areas of the skin to penetrate into the wound.

How to treat a wound with peroxide

Unfortunately, not all people who have experienced domestic wounds believe that they need to be treated. As a result, some of them become clients of surgeons. But it’s not at all difficult to figure out how to treat a wound with hydrogen peroxide and cover the affected area with a gauze bandage or adhesive plaster.

If you have a regular household cut, then fill it with this antiseptic. Please note that peroxide should be watered abundantly, and not blotted. As a result, you should see how the solution foams. This will ensure not only good disinfection of the damaged area, but also help to remove small particles of dirt from the wound that are not visible to the naked eye. After that, you can apply a medical bandage, folded in several layers, or a gauze bandage to the wound.

Injuries in children

Very often, parents wonder how to treat a wound to a child. If you have a baby in your house, then the first-aid kit must be equipped with hydrogen peroxide, brilliant green, fucorcin or an alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt. The tactics of action for a cut in children should be the same as for injuries to the skin of adults.

The difficulty lies in the fact that children often do not give the opportunity to treat the wound. But this is not the case when you need to feel sorry for the baby. Parents should do their best to wash the damaged area and treat it properly. At this time, it makes no sense to scold the baby, you need to calm him down and try to explain what exactly you are doing with his wound.

Animal bites

Unfortunately, some are faced with yet another type of damage to the skin. If you are bitten by a dog, then you need to treat the damaged area as soon as possible. To do this, you will need hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green. But you should not fill the bites with alcohol, cologne or iodine. This will only make the situation worse. Alcohol burns the wound, as a result, it is even more injured. Please note that you may need information on how to treat a deep wound with lacerations.

After washing the damaged area with peroxide, it is better to see a doctor. Perhaps he decides that it is better to sew up the edges of the wound or simply treat it additionally. In some situations, it is better to remove damaged tissues, because they can be a source of infection.

Surgical treatment

Many people think that they can cope with a cut or puncture of any complexity on their own. Some of the victims underestimate the seriousness of the situation, while others are simply afraid to go to the doctor. But in some cases it is simply necessary. After all, only a specialist knows how to treat an open wound without introducing an additional infection into it. But often surgeons have to work with those injuries in which pus has already begun to accumulate.

The specialist can remove dead areas, make a decompression incision, clean the wound and, if necessary, suture. For severe lesions, a skin graft may even be required.

cut called violation of the integrity of the skin, carried out with the help of a sharp object. Shallow wounds of this nature affect only the dermis and subcutaneous fat layer. For their treatment, most often no special means are required. Deeper cuts are referred to as incised wounds. As a result of such damage, the integrity of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves, as well as blood vessels, is violated. Such wounds can be dangerous, and the patient should definitely see a doctor.

The main factor that provokes the appearance of cuts is the careless use of sharp objects both at home and at work. Also, cuts can appear during injury, including during an attack.

Also, injuries of this type appear when falling on glass or untreated knotty logs, after which glass fragments or wood chips can be found in the wound. Sometimes cleansing the wound is very difficult, then you need to see a doctor. In rare cases, even an x-ray has to be taken to detect fragments. It is prescribed if the wound does not heal for a long time, the tissue turns red and exudate oozes from it.

Kinds

Cuts differ in the type of objects with which they are applied:

blunt objects that leave wounds with torn edges. Such wounds usually appear in the area of the bones ( on knees, fingers). The tissues around such wounds are very swollen and severely injured, they are harder to scar, since their edges are uneven,
sharp objects that leave cut wounds. Such wounds can be quite deep and affect not only the upper layers of tissues, but also deeper ones,
thin and sharp objects that leave puncture wounds,
combined injuries that remain after exposure to sharp and blunt objects.

What symptoms to look out for?

Most often, bleeding with a cut stops after 10 minutes without the use of any means. If it does not stop for 20 minutes or longer, and also if the wound was caused by a rusty, dirty object, if there is earth in the wound, pieces of glass, you must definitely see a doctor.

In addition, you need to visit a doctor if the anti-tetanus serum was introduced more than 5 years ago, and the wound was made by a rusty or dirty object.
If the cut is on the face, the wound is long or deep enough, if its edges do not close with a band-aid, a doctor's help is needed. Dangerous are deep wounds in the area of \u200b\u200bthe joints, on the chest, neck, face, palms. Also, you should definitely show the wounds to the doctor if the victim is a baby, if the tissue around the wound turns red, swells and hurts. These are signs of infection. Attention should be paid if tissue around the wound has lost sensitivity. If the blood does not stop, the victim has impaired motor skills of the limbs or fingers, or if he is in shock, you need to urgently call an ambulance.

Complications

injury to large veins and arteries,
cut infection ( the wound hurts, becomes covered with pus, turns red),
tetanus. This is a serious disease that affects the nervous system. It is incurable. The pathogen develops in deep wounds without access to oxygen. To prevent the development of the disease, tetanus toxoid is administered, which has been in effect for ten years.

Incised extensor tendon injury

The extensor tendons begin at the nail phalanges and end towards the middle of the forearm. It is through these tendons that impulses are transmitted from the muscles to the fingers for their extension. If in the upper part these tendons are rather thick and round, then near the nail phalanges they are flat bands.

These tendons from below are adjacent to the bone, and from above they are covered only by the skin. That is, it is not difficult to damage them. Even a small cut can cause injury. Often they break away from the place of attachment to the bone, while the skin may not even be torn. After the tendon is torn, the finger can no longer fully extend.

In case of cuts, the tendons are sutured surgically. Often, a tendon injury is combined with a bone injury, extensive soft tissue injuries. In such cases, treatment is complicated, prolonged and may not lead to an absolute cure. Sometimes you need a whole series of surgical interventions to get the result.

Treatment and stop bleeding

Treatment of shallow and non-extensive cuts consists in the following activities that the victim or nearby people can do without the help of doctors:

wound cleansing,
blood stop,
sterile wound closure
antiseptic treatment.

Cleansing the wound done with soapy water. Washing should be done with a piece of cotton wool or a bandage. Rapid washing of the wound allows you to remove sources of infection and prevent wound suppuration. After lathering the wound, rinse thoroughly with clean water. This procedure should be done daily until the wound is completely scarred.
If the wound is very dirty, 3% hydrogen peroxide or an antiseptic solution can also be used.

The wound closes by applying a sterile dressing. Before that, it should be blotted with a clean cloth or bandage to dry after washing. Carefully examine the condition of the wound - it should be clean, the tissues are not torn, move the edges of the cut together. After that, a sterile bandage or napkin should be applied to the wound.
If a small child has a cut on the lips or chin, do not apply a bandage, as it will collect food and saliva.
The sterile dressing should not be changed frequently, only if the dressing is loose or dirty. But even in this case, you can not change the bandage, but only bandage it on top again with a clean bandage.

How to stop the bleeding?
The quickest way is to press down on the cut with a clean bandage or cloth. The bandage must be pressed tightly enough and held until the bleeding stops ( sometimes up to a quarter of an hour). This procedure is ineffective only if the arteries are affected. To make the blood flow less intensively, you need to raise the wounded limb up.

Wounds on the head almost always cause profuse bleeding, since there are a lot of blood vessels, it is often necessary to call a doctor to stop the bleeding.

If blood appears through an already applied tight bandage, it should be bandaged even tighter with another piece of bandage. The first dressings should not be removed, as in this case, already clotted blood can be torn off and bleeding can resume.

When the blood is stopped, you need to bandage the affected area quite tightly, but at the same time do not completely pinch it - because this will stop the blood supply to the tissues. You don't need to put a Band-Aid around the limb, which can also interfere with blood flow. To understand how correctly the bandage is applied, you should press down on the nail on the bandaged limb. It first turns white, after which it should quickly return to its pink color. Otherwise, the bandage is too tight and should be loosened up a bit.

Without special need, you should not resort to a tourniquet, since with the help of this tool you can significantly impair blood circulation in the affected limb. Use a tourniquet only in case of urgent need.

Bleeding that doesn't stop after a quarter of an hour can be dangerous! You should call an ambulance or go to the doctor.

Wound treatment with antiseptics
This event is carried out to prevent infection of the wound. Most antiseptics suppress the inflammatory process, reduce the duration of scarring.

Antiseptics can be in the form of a solution in alcohol, water or in the form of a cream.
Aqueous solutions are used to treat wounds, as well as wetting swabs and wipes for sterile dressings. This treatment is completely painless and is often used to treat wounds in babies.

Solutions with alcohol can burn the edges of the affected tissues and lengthen the scarring process. Such preparations should be smeared around the cut. If the solution gets on the wound, it will pinch, the skin around the wound will turn red.

The ointment can be treated with both the wound itself and the napkin that is applied to it. If the wound is wet, the ointment may lengthen the scarring period. If the wound is treated abundantly with ointment and a tight bandage is applied to it, maceration is possible ( softening) edges.

What to do with a finger injury?

If your finger is cut in the kitchen and the wound bleeds badly enough, you should not try to stop the bleeding by putting your finger under cold water. Such measures will provoke even more bleeding. It's best to just give a thumbs up.

Around the wound, the skin should be coated with iodine, and the surface of the wound itself should be treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. It is forbidden to smear the wound with Vishnevsky ointment or ichthyol ointment, so popular among the masses. Next, you should put a tight bandage on your finger.
Here is a little secret: how to put it on your finger so that it is convenient for them to act, and so that the bandage does not move out. The usual bandaging of the finger most often only leads to the fact that the bandages slip off after a while. And sometimes they dry up to the wound, and then changing the dressing is painful and unpleasant. To prevent all these troubles, you should wrap your finger at the cut site with a ribbon of paper covering the entire phalanx. After that, you can wrap a bandage or stick a patch. Such a paper wrapper will protect the wound, move its edges and help heal faster.
This bandage is easier to remove because the paper will not stick to the wound. According to experienced people, it is best to use white stationery. Before applying it should be treated with hydrogen peroxide.

Ointment treatment

Dexpanthenol
It is produced in the form of ointment, spray, cream and lotion. Contains vitamin B5, quickly heals wounds, restores tissues, can be used to treat mucous membranes. Treat the affected area once a day.

Ointment with chamomile
Relieves inflammation, antiseptic, accelerates tissue repair. Wounds are treated once a day.

Comfrey ointment
Relieves inflammation, stops bleeding, accelerates tissue repair. It is prescribed if the cut does not heal for a long time. The affected surface is treated two or three times a day before going to bed, a bandage is made.

Ointment of calendula
Relieves inflammation, destroys microbes, accelerates tissue repair. It is very indicated for long-term non-scarring cuts. Processing is carried out several times a day.

Betadine
Produced in the form of an iodine solution and ointment. Strong antiseptic. May cause local skin irritation.

Ethonia ointment
It inhibits the development of pathogenic microbes, anesthetizes, accelerates scarring. Processing is carried out once or twice a day. Effective for purulent wounds.

Lifusol
Antiseptic, inhibits the development of microbes. It is prescribed for the treatment of wounds, including very contaminated ( first washed with an aqueous solution, then an ointment is applied).

Special instructions for the use of certain drugs

If the cut does not scar for a long time, you should drink a course of vitamins of groups B, C, E and A,
Treatment of wounds with iodine can provoke individual intolerance,
People with impaired thyroid function should use iodine supplements only under the direction of a doctor,
Solutions of boric acid cannot be used to treat large surfaces of the body, as the drug is absorbed into the blood and poisoning may develop. It is very dangerous for babies. Signs of boric acid poisoning: nausea, rash, kidney failure, diarrhea,
Alcohol preparations should not be applied to the wound surface, using them only to lubricate the skin around the wound,
Since any alcohol preparations cause a burning sensation, it is undesirable to use them in the treatment of wounds in children,
Deep cuts should not be treated with hydrogen peroxide, as air bubbles are likely to clog vessels,
Lifusol ointment creates a thin protective film on the surface of the wound, which protects the wound from microbes. You can remove it by wiping the body with alcohol,
Lifusol is a combustible agent. In addition, you should not give a tube of ointment to babies.

Antibiotics

In order to prevent the development of pathogenic microflora in not very large cuts, most often only antibiotic ointments are enough. More effective are drugs containing neomycin, tetracycline, bacitracin, polymyxin sulfate, as well as combined drugs. Antibiotic treatment of an untreated and uncleaned wound within four hours after the injury helps reduce the likelihood of complications, relieves pain, and accelerates tissue regeneration. But it is desirable to process an already cleaned cut.

Antibiotics should not be used for too long, as this can create favorable conditions for the development of superinfections ( mycoses). In the event that the cut is quite extensive and even the use of an antibiotic for five days does not give a result, you should definitely visit a doctor.

Ointments containing an antibiotic:

synthomycin liniment,
levomekol,
methyluracil,
gentamicin ointment,
levosin.

What influences the rate of healing?

1. Poor supply of blood and oxygen to tissues adjacent to the wound. The more oxygen in the tissues, the more active phagocytes work in it - immune cells that absorb pathogenic organisms, blood vessels are restored faster, the state of the epithelium is normalized, and collagen production is accelerated. Lack of oxygen occurs in people with diseases of the heart, lungs, blood vessels that have lost a large amount of blood.

2. Body weight, age and diet of the patient. For the production of collagen fibers, proteins, minerals and vitamins, as well as carbohydrates are needed. So, vitamin A is needed for wound epithelialization, vitamin C helps to normalize the state of cell membranes, and zinc accelerates cell recovery. In older people with increased body weight, inflammatory processes take longer, collagen is slowly produced.

3. Pathogenic microbes. Microbes must immediately penetrate the wound. And only phagocytes can destroy them. If the victim has poor immunity, the wound is very dirty, fragments, dead tissues remain in it, then phagocytes will not be able to do their job. The production of recovery fibers worsens, scarring is inhibited, inflammation lasts longer. Microbes absorb oxygen needed by body tissues. The main dangers for wounds are pyogenic and fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli.

4. Diabetes. In such patients, all cuts are scarred very hard and for a long time.

5. Taking certain medications. For example, in patients using glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants inhibit vascular repair, collagen production, and local immunity is worse.

How to get rid of scars?

Cut scars can disfigure any part of the body. But you can get rid of them. It should be borne in mind that the less time has passed since the injury, as well as the shallower the depth of the wound, the more effective will be the treatment of scars.
For the correct choice of the method of removing the scar, you must first of all keep in mind the nature of the injury and its depth.

If the cut was completely shallow, you can use the microdermabrasion method - this is a type of gentle peeling that removes only the uppermost cells of the dermis. The skin is treated with a diamond "abrasive wheel" that exfoliates dead cells, speeding up recovery. The treatment does not cause discomfort at all. Sometimes you need to carry out several procedures. At the same time, between procedures, the skin looks normal, the body does not need to recover as after more severe procedures.

If the cut scars are deep enough, a chemical peel should be used. This is a very efficient procedure. The skin is affected by acids, phenol and retinol, which remove not only the upper, but also the deeper layers of the dermis, leveling it. After the procedure, skin regeneration takes about 7 days.

When should you definitely see a doctor?

In some cases, it is not enough to treat the wound on your own. A doctor should be called if:

blood is ejected from the wound in jerks, if the blood is scarlet, it is likely that a blood vessel has been cut,
blood flows profusely and does not stop,
the cut is in a prominent place and the scar on it is undesirable,
the hands are affected - there are important tendons and nerves,
in the presence of symptoms of inflammation - redness, covering the tissues more than 2 cm around the cut, swelling of the tissues,
increase in body temperature,
the wound is deep enough - in such cases it is necessary to suture,
the wound is dirty, and the last tetanus shot was more than five years old,
earth and animal feces got into the wound ( e.g. manure) - in such environments there is a lot of the causative agent of tetanus,
the wound does not heal long enough, exudate flows from it,
after injury, the victim vomits and vomits - this is more true for head injuries in babies.

Help doctor

How can a doctor help with deep or dirty incised wounds?

clean the wound from dirt and splinters,
stitch up,
if nerves, tendons or blood vessels are damaged - send to the hospital,
prescribe antibiotics if the wound is infected,
give an injection against tetanus.

Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

During a hike there is always a risk of getting one or another damage, wounding the surface of the skin. Proper treatment of the wound contributes to its speedy healing without the risk of blood poisoning, suppuration and infection. Of course, it is desirable to have in the first-aid kit a minimum set of necessary first aid in the event of wounds and abrasions, which relates to preliminary treatment.

Wound treatments

There are general rules for the treatment of wounds:

This process is carried out only with clean hands.
The victim is located in such a way that no pressure is exerted on the damaged part of the body, maximum peace is maintained.
The wound surface should be immediately covered with a clean cloth, gauze bandage or bandage to prevent the entry of germs and dirt. The bleeding should be stopped as soon as possible.
The surface of the wound or abrasions is washed with water. If there is no clean water in field conditions, you need to filter and disinfect the water from the nearest reservoir using improvised means.
The edges of the wound are treated with any antiseptic. If it is applied to the wound surface itself, it can damage the tissues, in some cases cause necrosis.
For the treatment of abrasions in the mouth, nose or eyes, oil or alcohol antiseptics should not be used. For this, a weak aqueous antiseptic solution is used.

If tissue damage is not treated and the bleeding of a deep wound is not stopped after two hours, there is a possibility of tetanus, sepsis, heart failure, dizziness, and loss of consciousness. If during the day the state of health deteriorated sharply (the temperature rose sharply, chills, confusion began, aches and weakness in the muscles appeared), it is highly likely that an infection has entered the bloodstream and its infection is possible, which is very difficult to treat.

An antiseptic will destroy microbes, viruses, fungi that have got inside damaged tissues, prevent their further development, infection, and blood poisoning. Antiseptic treatment of tissue should be carried out within the first two hours. Antibiotics should not be used instead of antiseptics, as they only target bacterial microbiota, whereas skin lesions may contain bacterial and fungal or mixed microflora.

Among the antiseptics, the following liquids are distinguished for treating wounds of various etiologies and types:

The edges of the damaged tissue are treated with iodine, otherwise it can cause a burn. You can not use this antiseptic for diseases of the thyroid gland, kidneys, various dermatitis.

Zelenka

Zelenka and iodine for wound treatment

The treatment of the wound with brilliant green is carried out similarly to iodine - only along the edges. It has a drying effect, and is used until the moment when the wound begins to heal. Further, it can not be used, so as not to cause a burn. Do not use if the wound is bleeding heavily.

Chlorhexidine

It is used during primary treatment after the damaged tissue has been treated with hydrogen peroxide. Just like peroxide, even a small amount of chlorhexidine destroys fungi, microbes, and viruses. For treatment, you need to water the wound with a syringe with this antiseptic.

Iodinol
Furacilin

An aqueous solution of furacilin is prepared at the rate of 10 tablets per liter of heated water. The wounds on the skin and mucous membranes are treated with a cooled solution, wetting them with an antiseptic jet. In addition, it can be applied directly to the gauze bandage. Furatsilin solution can be used both for primary treatment and for secondary, as well as purulent wounds.

Hydrogen peroxide

Only 3% peroxide solution is used. During the initial treatment, foam is formed, which removes small contaminants from the wound surface. It is used both in primary treatment and secondary, in the treatment of purulent lesions. The correct application of hydrogen peroxide does not consist in applying a dressing moistened with it, but in wetting the wound with a pulsating stream of peroxide. As a rule, treatment with this antiseptic is performed in the presence of shallow skin lesions, and also until the moment when the process of tissue scarring begins. Hydrogen peroxide is not used in combination with other antiseptics, it must be stored in a container protected from light.

Alcohol

Only the edges of the pre-washed wound are treated with alcohol during the initial treatment, after which another antiseptic (brilliant green or iodine) is applied to it.

Potassium permanganate

Weak manganese solution kills microorganisms. Each treatment should be carried out only with a freshly prepared solution. It is used for various injuries of the skin and mucous membranes.

Miramistin

This is a modern antiseptic, used to treat open wounds and damage to the mucous membrane. Destroys various microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, fungi, helps with burns.

If you do not have the above funds with you, you can use a two percent soda solution, concentrated salt solution, vodka, chamomile infusion. Decoctions of St. John's wort, calendula, yarrow, raspberry have antiseptic properties. With open weeping wounds, an aqueous solution of propolis helps. If the damage is shallow, you can prepare a remedy from aloe juice, sea buckthorn oil and rose hips.

Treatment of abrasions and scratches

Treatment of abrasions and wounds

When the skin is rubbed against a hard, rough surface, abrasions and scratches form. The surface layer of the skin is damaged, small vessels are broken, and pinpoint bleeding is formed. As a rule, this damages a large surface of the skin, causing very painful sensations, since a large number of nerve endings are exposed. The difference between abrasions and deep wounds is that they heal quickly without leaving scars, since the subcutaneous tissues are not affected when damaged.

The treatment of minor injuries consists in cleansing the wound from dirt, earth, and other debris with the help of water (preferably running water). After that, you need to carry out an antiseptic treatment, cover with a gauze bandage so that it does not stick to the surface of the skin.

If the scratches are very dirty, you need to wash them with special care. So, for wounds on the limbs or fingers, antiseptic baths will be the best solution. If the torso, knees, elbows are scratched, a wet gauze bandage should be applied to the damaged surface, and after the wound is dried, proceed with antiseptic treatment.

Treatment of deep wounds

It must be understood that the treatment of deep wounds should be carried out with the subsequent provision of qualified medical care. Deep damage is considered to be more than two centimeters, with the penetration of foreign objects, when the nerve endings are affected, bringing sharp pain. Before medical assistance is provided, consisting of surgical suturing, it is necessary to treat the damage as quickly and efficiently as possible:

First you need to stop the bleeding with a tourniquet or pressure bandage.
The skin around the wound is treated with a tampon folded with a bandage moistened with an antiseptic.
The damage is washed out from the dirt that got there.
With the severity of the lesion, the wound will fester and overgrow with granulation tissue. To remove the inflammatory process, it is necessary to ensure a good outflow of pus.
The first two days, the damage is treated with a swab moistened with a 10% saline solution, chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide with the same bandages applied.
After 5-10 days, you can use antiseptic ointments that promote the outflow of pus (Vishnevsky, Streptocid ointment, Syntomethacin and the like).
With lacerated wounds, the damaged area is treated with a pulsating jet of antiseptic.

After the assistance rendered in field conditions, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Surgical care consists in suturing with preliminary dissection of the wound surface, treatment with an antiseptic, cutting off the protruding uneven edges of the skin near the wound, and in the presence of a purulent lesion, installing drainage for its outflow. After the inflammatory process is stopped, stitches are applied by the doctor. After that, the affected area is bandaged with a bandage with the imposition of an antiseptic ointments in the complex treatment with antibiotics.