General First Aid Information

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Cuts and Deep cuts

 

Cuts

With cuts, the first thing to do is to stop any bleeding. All you need to do is to apply pressure. You can do this by holding your hands or fingertips against the cut until the bleeding stops. Next, you need to clean out the wound. What you're trying to do is irrigate the wound. By doing this, you're doing more than killing bacteria, you're cleaning all the dirt and grit out of the wound. A good stream of water and soap will be adequate. There are many antibiotic ointments and antiseptics on the market. Antiseptics are useful in further cleaning the wound and preventing infection. If these are not available, ethyl alcohol or isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol will do.

Hydrogen peroxide is the most widely used antiseptic. However, it is effective only when it comes into contact with blood and tissue fluids; the fizzing effect is what cleans and acts to prevent infection. Allow the peroxide to dry before applying a bandage. The type of bandage used depends on the type of cut. A plain adhesive bandage will do the trick. Do not touch the part of the bandage that covers the cut. Keep in mind that the purpose of the bandage is to protect a wound, not seal it. A loose covering allows air to reach the wound, which promotes healing.

Deep cuts

For deep cuts that may require stitches, a butterfly bandage can temporarily bring the skin back together. After cleaning the wound, thoroughly dry the skin surface before applying a butterfly bandage. Pull the skin tightly together, apply one butterfly wing, pull the bandage tight, and secure the other wing to the skin. You can protect the cut by putting a gauze pad over it or by wrapping gauze over the injury before going to the emergency room.