Earlier this week, I took some time to learn about New-Skin (thanks to some misadventures with glass). Now in addition to the two cuts I got at the glass studio, I have a long scratch on my wrist from my work at the cats only boarding facility!
It’s not been a great week for me when it comes to gracefulness.
But I’ve got three good-sized wounds all on my right hand: a slice on my index finger, an odd L-shaped cut on the back of my hand (from jabbing myself with a cut piece of glass), and an inch-long claw mark on the inside of my wrist. It’s been a few days, but I notice that the cut on my finger is healing the best out of the three.
Why? Because it’s the only one I’ve been able to keep a bandage on. I’ve tried putting a bandage on the back of my hand, but it usually falls off while I’m sleeping. I’ve tried putting a bandage on my wrist, but if I don’t wrap something (like gauze) all the way around, it just won’t stay on. So while the cuts on my wrist and the back of my hand still look red and raw, the slice on my finger looks to be several days farther along in healing.
When you’re dealing with a cut or scrape, keep this in mind:
- Clean — wash the wound with soap and warm water. Make sure there’s no debris in there.
- Moist — keep the area moist. First aid cream or an antibiotic ointment is great for this. If you don’t want to use something medicated, try aloe vera gel.
- Covered — keep the cut covered. This will keep out dirt, bacteria, and germs. Keeping your cuts covered will also help prevent scabs. Scabs can actually help form scars, because they get in the way of new skin growth.