USF-COM Department of Family Medicine

Patient Education Information on... Index of Patient Education Topics

PROPER STERILIZATION TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE APPLIED

Hydrogen peroxide has been  used throughout many households as the immediate standard solution for sterilizing wounds.   Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol based solutions do a good job at initially sterilizing the wound.  However, these solutions can do too good of a job.  They can dry out the skin, killing healthy cells, and can lead to the production of a habitat that is actually more suitable for bacterial growth.

The recommended sterilization method is to wash and rinse with a mild bar soap or a standard saline solution.  Another alternative that is sensitive  to broken skin wounds, is the use a gentle baby shampoo that consists of a sting-free formula.

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ALL WOUNDS SHOULD BE PROPERLY DRESSED

No matter how minor the wound is considered to be, the wound must be bandaged, it is an important aspect  in the healing process.  When you dress  a wound do not allow the portion of the bandage covering the wound come in  contact with or stick to the injured area.

Burn injuries must also be bandaged.  Even a minor burn will produce more pain when it is open to the atmosphere than one that is adequately covered by a bandage.  It is important to consult a medical professional before applying a bandage to a burn, because there are many acceptable methods to bandage a burn. And also, with burns it is severity and not the size that best determines the optimal choice of treatment.

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SELECTION OF THE DRESSING

Different types of wounds require different types of dressings for optimal management.  The first step of dressing selection begins with identifying the main purpose for wound treatment.  Listed below are several principle purposes for wound treatment: Secondly, other factors relating to the wound, patient, and product must be analyzed; in order to make an appropriate decision on the dressing type.

Some wound related factors:

Some patient related factors: Return to top of page

BURN WOUNDS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY

Burns often are more significant than they initially appear.  A burn that appears to be confined to the surface, may actually extend much deeper and this may not become apparent until days later. If there is any occasion, after a burn, where you have noticed the development of severe blistering, numbness in the area around the burn area, or a dry, leathery appearance, call a physician immediately.

Home remedies are commonly used by people to soothe and treat burn injuries.  These products can a variety of effects, ranging from having a beneficial influence to producing detrimental circumstances.  Rinsing a minor burn with cool water can improve the pain, however on the other hand, placing butter and other things like petroleum jelly on burns can decrease healing and cause infections to occur.

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DON’T BE AFRAID TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Any time you do not know how to treat a cut or burn, call your physician or go to an emergency room.