Cuts are common injury. Yet, how severe they are determine the degree of caused pain. Cuts may occur in various body parts and are possible of causing infection. Cuts are injuries to the skin caused by sharp objects, such as knives or scissors. Cuts might hurt only the surface of the skin, or its deeper tissues—the muscles, tendons, and nerves. While small, shallow cuts can heal quickly and do not need special attention, some deeper cuts are more susceptible to infection and should not be left untreated. The skin is a possible barrier of germs and infections. Hence, even a minor wound should not be ignored.

How do cuts heal?

Bleeding happens commonly with cuts. This occurs because the sharp object break some tiny blood vessels underneath the skin surface. The wound then forms a scab which is used by the skin to stop the bleeding. This scab is also beneficial for the skin underneath in promoting proper healing process. Beneath this scab, the white blood cells fight the infecting bacteria to promote new skin cells growth. When the new skin is formed, the scab will fall out. New fragile skin is formed on the surface, but this new skin might be sensitive and not as tanned as its surrounding skin.

How to make sure a cut doesn’t get infected?

Improperly treated wound may lead to infection, which can be harmful to your health. Some small cuts which left untreated may even cause tetanus, an immune-attacking disease which is caused by a bacterial infection on an unsterilized open wound. Tetanus might be accompanied by high fever and can attack both children and adults. The worst effect of tetanus is organ infections which leads to death.

In order to avoid this risk, you should make sure that even your smallest incidental cut does not get infected. There are some things to be considered regarding wound care which can prevent you from getting an infection. Immediate treatment which considers proper hygiene will likely prevent the wound from getting infected.

1. Immediately stop the bleeding by giving pressure with a clean tissue or cotton ball. Press the wounded area until you find the blood has stopped clotting. This is important to let the blood clot as this might be the part of cleansing the wood.
2. Put the cut under cold running water and wipe it with a clean towel. Remove any left debris or small objects. Wash the affected area with mild soap, avoiding the cut itself as it may cause irritation.
3. Avoid antiseptics, since those might kill the beneficial microorganisms which in fact, are useful for wound healing. Instead, wipe the wound dry with a clean towel and clean any left soap scum thoroughly.
4. Put a bandage over the cut. Should you got a deep or wide cut, you might want to put the gauze first before covering it with a bandage. An antiseptic ointment can also be applied to inhibit bacterial infection. Do not wet this dressing during shower and change it once a day.
5. During the healing process, your wound is likely to form scabs and this will cause severe itching that you can hardly endure. However, this scab is needed to protect the very fragile new skin cells beneath the cut area. Therefore, do not pick the scab because it won’t reduce the itching. Instead, it may tear the tissues under the wound and slow the healing process down. To reduce the itching, you can scratch the area surrounding the wound, but keep away from the wound itself. Give a warm compress onto the wound might also reduce the itching and pain caused by the natural healing process. When the wound is healed completely, this scab is going to fall off without your effort of removing it.
6. If you are having a deep cut, taking some oral antibiotic or anti-inflammation may inhibit bacterial growth which can possibly cause infection. Applying topical antibiotic ointment regularly is also suggested. However, keep the wound away from iodine since it might burn the skin, making the wound worse, instead.