Home tips for wound healing

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic explain how to use self help to recover from everyday scrapes and cuts.
Breaking the skin is an everyday mishap. The body soon starts to heal its wounds, but proper home care will facilitate the process according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic.

A wound should be covered with a sterile dressing and pressure applied to halt bleeding.  It should be washed first with tap or bottled water and covered with an antibiotic ointment. You can keep the wound from drying out with a lubricant like Vaseline.  Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide should not be used on the wound as they will be too harsh.

This treatment creates the best environment for wound healing.  A non-stick dressing should be used - not gauze - and it needs changing every day or so. About five days should be enough to heal the surface layers and then the dressing can be removed. Always seek medical attention if the wound gets infected - that is, if it looks red or develops a discharge. And make sure you get a tetanus shot if it's been more than ten years since your last one.

Source
Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource December 2005

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