How to treat a laceration wound?
503-249-9000 DIRECTIONS PAY STATEMENT Dr. Mark Hosko, MD, May 6 2022 What Is A Laceration Wound? Lacerations: Definition, Diagnosis & Treatment Lacerations are scary when they happen, especially if you do not know what to look for or how to handle a cut. Knowing what to look for and how to handle a laceration will help you to determine the correct form of treatment. Find out everything you need to know about lacerations to make the best decisions for you and your family. What is a laceration wound? A laceration wound refers to a skin wound without missing skin. Usually, lacerations are caused by sharp objects. These are one of the easiest medical conditions to diagnose and easy to treat. Lacerations form by tearing the soft body tissue, that is, the top layer or layers of skin. Furthermore, lacerations are irregular tear-like wounds often caused by blunt trauma. Puncture wounds break more than soft tissue. Lacerations can be deep, shallow, long, short, wide, and even narrow. Minor lacerations do not usually require medical assistance as they can be treated at home with proper cleaning, ointments, and bandages. Also, minor lacerations will not bleed as much as deep lacerations. Deeper lacerations may require stitches if they are deep, bleeding profusely, have jagged edges, or expose muscle or fat. Seek medical attention for deep lacerations, especially cuts that will not stop bleeding. Often lacerations are misused as incisions that are caused on purpose or have clearly defined edges. What are the signs and symptoms of a laceration? Lacerations are easy to spot as they refer to damage to the skin. As the skin has nerves, you will feel a sharp pain from a cut. Also, the cut skin will bleed and have a visible tear in the skin when the blood is out of the way. Often you will know when a laceration happens as it involves a cut or injury. The laceration victim will often scream in pain when the accident occurs, which is the first symptom of a cut. How do you describe a laceration? Describe a laceration as a defined tear in the tissue of the skin caused by either shearing or crushing force. Often, lacerations are a result of blunt trauma. A laceration can also be described as an incomplete separation of strong tissue elements such as blood vessels or nerves. Lacerations can be caused by both sharp or dull trauma. What is the difference between a cut and a laceration? Cuts and lacerations are often used interchangeably as both indicate damaged skin from a blunt or sharp object. However, a cut often refers to a mild laceration as cuts do not often require more than antibacterial ointment and a bandage. Lacerations may be deeper and require pressure to stop the bleeding and even stitches depending on the depth of the injury or exposure of other parts like bone, tendons, ligaments, or muscle. How do you treat a wound laceration? The first step to treat laceration is to stop the bleeding with pressure and gauze or bandage. Once the wound stops bleeding, clean the area to remove all dirt and debris. Clean by running cool water over the area and then use mild soap and water if possible. Dry with a sterile cloth. Next, apply antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a sterile gauze bandage and medical tape. For smaller lacerations, use a self-sticking bandage for the wound. Clean and replace bandages daily until the wound heals. For smaller cuts, you may be able to use skin closure strips. Avoid using liquid bandages for cuts without consulting a doctor first. For deeper lacerations, go to the doctors for stitches. If you can see anything other than the first layer of skin, you also need to go to the doctor for proper treatment. If a cut measures larger than half an inch or has a large gaping wound, it probably requires stitches. Moreover, the location of a wound may require stitches to stay shut, such as on a joint, face, near the eye, or in the genital area. Another indication that a laceration requires medical attention is a risk of infection or disease such as a rusty nail, a scratch or bite, or another potentially contaminated item. Finally, prolonged bleeding requires medical assistance. After a few days, even if treating a minor laceration, you need to look for signs of infections or complications. Look for fever, chills, redness, swelling, white or yellow pus or drainage from the wound, or worsening pain. Do not wait to see a doctor if any of these symptoms occur; seek medical attention quickly.