A wound is a damage to the skin and sometimes to deeper tissues or even organs.

Wounds can be classified as: shallow or deep, caused by mechanical, thermal or chemical trauma, as well as infected or not.

Wounds caused by mechanical injuries include: abrasions, cuts, stab wounds, bite wounds and surgical wounds.

Injuries caused by thermal or chemical trauma include all types of burns - they can be thermal, chemical, radiation or electrical.

In addition, wounds also include hard-to-heal ulcers, formed as a result of ongoing disease processes in the body.

Superficial abrasions and cuts are easy to treat at home. It is enough to have a few plasters, swabs and a disinfectant in the first aid kit.

But putting on a plaster is not always sufficient. Dressing even small wounds is a multi-stage process. Neglecting any of the steps can contaminate and infect the wound.

 

Stages of proper wound dressing at home:

1. Checking the condition of the wound / assessing whether medical assistance is required,

we assess the depth, cleanliness, severity of bleeding, and the presence of foreign bodies.

2.Wound disinfection:

this process is best performed with a disinfectant with a broad spectrum of activity (i.e. one that works against viruses and bacteria), e.g. hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine.

3. Applying a dressing / plaster:

the size of the plaster must match the size of the wound. Apply the appropriate plaster directly to the wound with clean, disinfected hands, without touching the absorbent pad with your hands.

We consider the most appropriate plaster to suit the obtained situation: waterproof when you plan to take a bath or when you need to wash your hands frequently; flexible - in difficult-to-reach body parts (such as elbows, knees, etc.) or coloured (children's) which will not only heal the wound, but also distract the child from the cut.