Small or large wounds if not treated or handled properly can be difficult to heal. However, the treatment of wounds can vary, there are wounds that can be treated with red medicine, then the wound is left open until it heals. Some are better covered with plaster or bandaged using gauze. In fact, there are also wounds that need stitches. Well, then how to determine when the wound should be bandaged?
Conditions for the wound to be bandaged
The cause of the wound getting worse is due to the wrong way of treatment. Many think that open wounds should be left exposed to the wind to dry and heal quickly.
It's true that wounds shouldn't be left wet for long and drying the wound can help it heal. However, this does not apply to all types of wounds.
Minor cuts or abrasions that don't bleed a lot can be left open without a bandage.
However, according to the American Family Physician, some types of minor wounds still need to be covered with a bandage to avoid infection and speed healing.
The following are some of the conditions that determine the wound should be bandaged.
- Wounds are located on parts of the skin that are easily irritated by clothing or rubbing against objects.
- You are in a dry environment and cold air can make your skin dry.
- Wounds are prone to contamination with dust, pollution, or dirt that may contain infection-causing bacteria.
- You have a skin disease such as eczema or psoriasis that makes the skin often inflamed and dry. Wounds need to be bandaged, especially when the wound is in the area of recurrence of the disease.
It's important to know that covering the wound with a bandage can help retain moisture around the injured skin.
Moisture can speed up the recovery of damaged skin tissue in the wound. Moist skin conditions help the performance of fibroblast cells in forming new tissue that covers the wound.
Moist skin can also reduce the amount of fluid that comes out of the wound.
In fact, keeping the wound moist is one way to speed up wound healing in patients with diabetes or blood clotting disorders. That way, the patient can avoid the risk of amputation.
So, even if the wound is fairly minor and you can keep it free of dirt, covering the wound with a bandage as a first aid can still be beneficial in healing the wound.
Steps to treat wounds that need to be bandaged
Here's how the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends treating wounds that need bandaging with a first aid kit at home.
1. Stop bleeding
When the wound is bleeding, try to hold the wound to stop the bleeding. To be more effective, you can lift the injured body part to block the flow of blood out.
Make sure the blood has completely stopped before you take the next step of treatment.
2. Clean the wound
After the bleeding stops, immediately clean the injured area with running water to prevent the entry of dirt or bacteria that can cause wound infections.
Clean the wound under running water for a few minutes and if necessary clean the skin around the wound with soap. After that, apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound.
Avoid cleaning the wound with alcohol or red medicine that contains hydrogen peroxide because there is a risk of irritating the damaged skin tissue.
3. Choose the right bandage
When treating wounds with bandages, you should choose the type of bandage that suits your wound.
Plaster can be used to protect abrasions or scratches so they are not easily irritated.
Generally, a wound that needs to be bandaged can be covered with a non-stick patch bandage or a rolled gauze bandage.
However, you should avoid using gauze to bandage the wound if the skin is easily dry.
Because gauze tends to absorb more blood, it can be difficult to keep the wound moist. Use a thicker type of bandage.
Avoid applying the bandage too tightly to the wound. Instead, give a little space so that the wound is not too stressed.
4. Change the bandage regularly
To keep the wound sterile, you will need to change the bandage every day until the wound is completely healed. If needed, the wound can be cleaned every time you change the bandage.
Use tweezers to remove any debris stuck to the wound that could be coming from the bandage. Make sure you wash your hands before touching the wound.
Reapply the antibiotic ointment before covering the wound with a new bandage.
If you do not want an infection in the wound, you can consult a doctor or get a tetanus shot.
If it turns out that the open wound is quite large and continues to bleed, you need to get medical first aid to stitch the wound.
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