You have injured yourself and got a wound? We show you how to treat the abrasion so that you are soon fit again!
Sports or gardening where have you already got abrasions? Where they come from doesn't really matter, the question is how you can treat your abrasion so that it heals as quickly as possible and doesn't leave a scar.
Incidentally, abrasions are the most common injury in everyday life. Everyone has had them at one time or another.
Although they are harmless, abrasions can be particularly painful. This is because there is extensive injury to the nerve endings of the skin.
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Light falls are often enough to really insult the nerve endings. The wound burns because the nerve endings of the dermis are exposed. They transmit pain signals to the brain. Only then do we realize how sensitive our skin actually is.
By the way, in spring and summer abrasions celebrate their high season. When we slip into shorts and skirts, it doesn't take long for the top layer of skin on our knees to be scraped off.
At the latest when you have contracted one, you ask yourself how to treat the abrasion.
Treat abrasion - No Gos
There are a few things you should better not do. This way you will promote infections and scars.
1. blow to care for the wound
Especially with children, we tend to make the ouch go away with a blow. And that often works. The children actually become calmer and feel better.
But by blowing you actually only make it worse. You can blow pathogens into the wound.
Bacteria land directly on the wound, the risk of infection increases.
For open wounds and abrasions, the following therefore applies: blowing prohibited!
2. do not treat the wound
Oh just let that dry up and it will be fine in a minute. Not a good idea.
A wound must always be disinfected. And you should cover it with a plaster. Only then can you prevent bacteria and dirt from getting in.
If you leave the wound open, a scar will form. Whether and with what you tape it depends on how big the wound is.
3. reach around on the wound
The abrasion begins to grow over. A crust is formed. Very good! What you must not do now is to pick at it, scratch it or remove the crust.
For wounds of any kind: Hands off! You bring bacteria and dirt into the wound and risk an infection including scar and long healing time.
How to treat the abrasion
Now that you know what not to do under any circumstances, we'll tell you how to treat abrasions.
1. disinfect wound
An abrasion is usually caused by a fall. Dust, dirt, sand, stones, grass, etc. quickly get into the injured skin area.
To avoid the risk of infection, you must clean the wound.
Wash the wound with cool water. This is best done under gently running water. But please without aggressive water jet from the shower spray.
You should avoid pressure and friction at all costs when treating your abrasion. This will only irritate the skin further and can lead to dirt particles being washed into the wound.
Tip: A spray disinfectant is the best way to keep the wound clean and germ-free. You can order it from Amazon.
2. remove dirt from the wound
Can you still see small particles of dirt despite the water? Grab a pair of tweezers, which you disinfect beforehand, and carefully remove stones and other debris from the wound.
Alternatively, you can also do this with your fingernails. But very important: Wash your hands thoroughly and long with soap before!
You are only allowed to do it yourself if it is superficial dirt such as grains of sand and the like.
If there are stones, glass splinters or similar in the wound, then go to the doctor! It could be that you risk further injuries, if you yourself at the wound herumdoktern.
3. disinfect the abrasion
When the wound is cleaned, you need to disinfect it. With the water you have removed only the visible dirt.
Apply a wound disinfectant for this purpose. Caution: This can sting quite a bit. But it has to be done. The easiest way to apply disinfectants is in the form of sprays. Then you don't have to touch the wound.
4. treat abrasion with a bandage
Now you need to cover the injured area. Small abrasions can be covered with a small plaster.
For large wounds there are special abrasion plasters. They are also called moist plasters. Since my last major injury I always have some at home. :)
The plasters are almost transparent, slightly thicker. They enclose the entire abrasion airtight and in conjunction with the wound form a white gel that accelerates healing. This allows the wound to heal well and scarring will be very minimal.
Dry wounds heal much more slowly. Therefore, especially large abrasions should always be slightly moist. This is exactly what happens under a moist plaster. The hydrogel causes less crust to form, which is good because the wound then cannot stick to the plaster.
Tip: Scrape plasters are comparatively expensive. But it is worth it! If you want to save money, you can order wet plasters from Amazon. They come in different sizes.
5. observe the wound
Is the wound healing? Is nothing happening at all? You should keep a close eye on both. If in doubt, have a doctor take a look.
If the wound becomes thick, very red, red around the wound, or very warm to the touch, this may indicate an infection.
Be sure to get it checked out by a doctor!
How the healing process for abrasions
Once you have disinfected and taped the wound, your body begins to heal. Smaller wounds grow closed relatively quickly. They are covered with a dark crust called a scab.
This scab consists of coagulated blood and the adhesive fibrin (blood protein). The wound is now closed and protected by the scab.
Now you can sit back. Your body will treat the abrasion and let it heal. New tissue and collagen fibers will form, shrinking the wound until it eventually closes completely.
Very important: Do not damage the scab! It protects you from infections and prevents a large scar from forming.
If you have a wound, you should avoid bathing, long showers and the swimming pool. The water softens the crust and can promote infections. The healing process will take even longer.
You should also avoid direct exposure to the sun. Cover the wound outdoors!
When the abrasion weeps
The abrasion may be oozing. By wetting, your body transports dead skin cells and bacteria from the wound to the surface.
Weeping wounds must necessarily be taped.
If the lymphatic vessels are injured over a large area, the wound is particularly likely to ooze. This means that deeper abrasions are affected.
The rinsed tissue collects in the patch, which you should now change regularly. At least every 2 days until you notice an improvement.
Only then can the body begin to form a crust.
If the weeps heavily and for a long time, you should see if the wound is inflamed or has dirt in it.
Why you should check your vaccination status
If you have received an abrasion, you should take your vaccination certificate. Check when your last tetanus vaccination was. You can find the triggers for the disease in garden soil, on the street and pretty much everywhere.
Typically, infants get a vaccination between 5 and 6 years of age and then a booster between 9 and 17 years of age.
Even as an adult, you need a booster shot every 10 years.
What abrasions actually are
An abrasion has irregular edges. The skin is literally scraped off when an injury occurs.
This irritates the nerve cells. Which is why it hurts so much.
Most often, such wounds occur on the knees, elbows, palms and face.
An abrasion is a superficial injury to the skin. When you hurt yourself, the top layer of skin is removed. There are no blood vessels here. That is why your wound does not bleed.
For this it may be that it weeps more less depending on the spot. What I can say from my own experience: Wounds weep enormously on the rear end. Please do not ask how it came to this :D
If it does bleed, then you have also injured the second layer of skin. This is called the dermis. Here, the risk of infection is particularly high.
Our conclusion
If you want to treat your graze, you should take your time and clean it. Then disinfect it and tape it closed.
Give your body time to let the wound heal slowly. Do not bump, scratch or remove the scab. All this leads to infections and scars!
Get well soon :)
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