Cuts, scrapes, and burns are hard to avoid. Most minor injuries can be treated at home. A small wound may threaten your health if it causes severe blood loss or becomes infected. Call your healthcare provider if a wound doesn’t heal within a couple of weeks.
Caring for cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds
Step 1. Control bleeding
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Apply direct pressure to a cut or scrape to stop bleeding.
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Allow a minor puncture wound to stop bleeding on its own, unless the bleeding is heavy. This may help clean out the wound.
Step 2. Clean the wound
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Kill germs and remove the dirt by washing the wound with clean, running water and soap.
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Soak a minor puncture wound in warm, sudsy water for several minutes. Repeat this at least 2 times every day.
Step 3. Cover the injury
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Hold the edges of a cut together with a butterfly bandage.
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Apply antibiotic ointment.
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For a cut or scrape, apply an adhesive bandage or clean gauze. Tape it in place.
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Cover a minor puncture with gauze to absorb drainage and let in air to help with healing.
Treating minor burns
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Cool the burn immediately. Otherwise, the skin continues to hold heat and will keep burning. Use cloths soaked in cool water, place the burned area under a gentle stream of cool water, or submerge the burn in a full sink or bucket.
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Treat a minor burn like you treat a minor cut or scrape. Clean and cover it with a loose dressing.
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Don't put butter, oil, or ointment on a burn. This only seals in heat. After you cool the area, you can apply a moisturizer with Aloe vera (with or without a numbing agent) to soothe the burn.
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Don’t break blisters or pull off skin from a broken blister. This skin helps protect the healing skin underneath.
