Minor Wound Care
Definition:
A minor wound is small and sufficiently clean so that the edges can be easily approximated using tape.
Treatment:
- Wash your hands well so that you do not further contaminate the wound.
- Wash area well with warm soapy water for about 60 seconds or longer, making certain that dirt and foreign bodies are removed. Rinse well with tepid water. Blot dry with a 4 x 4 gauze.
- Applying a small amount of antibiotic ointment, such as bacitracin, is optional.
- Cover with a loose bandage that will keep out the dirt, or a Band-Aid. Change the bandage/band-aid whenever it is loose or dirty, and at least one time a day.
- Check to be sure that you have had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years.
When to see a Physician:
Come into the clinic or emergency room:
- you have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or drainage from the wound, or if you have fever.
- If you are uncertain when or if your tetanus shot has been more than 10 years ago.
- The wound is:
- located on the face
- penetrating deep in the skin
- involving other tissues so that you lose sensation, motion, or bleed a lot
- made by a very dirty object
