Cuts and grazes

Cut yourself or suffered from a graze? Attend to it properly so that your skin can recover quickly.

ABOUT

Fortunately, the most common everyday injuries are minor wounds which can easily be attended to with a plaster. 
Whether you have cut yourself while chopping some vegetables, grazed your skin while scratching along a wall or hurt yourself by falling on your hands – a plaster will attend to these minor injuries and help them heal better.

What kind of wound is it?

Cuts: A cut is an area of severed skin that has been penetrated with a sharp edge, such as a knife, a small tool or the edge of a sheet of paper (paper cuts are also painful). The wound will often bleed and have slightly dehiscent wound edges.

ABRASIONS CAN HURT BECAUSE
OF ALL THE NERVE ENDINGS
WE HAVE UNDER OUR SKIN

Grazes or abrasions: A usually harmless abrasion of the upper skin layers that occurs after falling on knees, hands or elbows, or scratching over a rough surface with some skin coming off. Abrasions can be painful since the injury often extends to the many fine nerve endings subjacent to the skin.

A cut with its dehiscent wound edges; © Elastoplast
A graze or abrasion extending to nerve endings; © Elastoplast
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TREATMENT

How to treat minor wounds like a cut or abrasion

Remember to wash your hands carefully before treating a wound. Any break in the skin can be susceptible to bacteria penetrating.
Clean the wound carefully, wiping away any dirt and grit. Use a clean cotton cloth with Elastoplast Wound Spray or rinse with cold water, then pat area dry before applying a clean dressing.
Do not remove embedded objects, leave that to medical staff. Usually it is recommended to disinfect the graze or abrasion.

In any case, cover the cut or abrasion with a plaster. A plaster will protect the injured area from friction, bacteria, contamination and will absorb wound fluid and create conditions in which the wound can heal undisturbed. 

Tip: Special Elastoplast plasters such as Elastic Antibacterial Fabric Plaster already contain antibacterial silver in its woundpad which will reduce the risk of infection.

Some simple steps for treating wounds:

  1. Make sure, you wash your hands before applying plasters or dressings or wear disposable surgical gloves – this will lower the risk of infection.
  2. A minor wound will soon stop bleeding.
    If it does not, apply a little pressure to the spot with a non-stick pad until it stops.
  3. If the bleeding continues, apply more gauze pads and keep
    pressure on the wound and seek medical advice.
  4. Clean the wound carefully, wiping away any dirt and grit. Use a clean cotton cloth sprayed with Elastoplast Wound Spray or rinse with cold water, then pat area dry before applying a clean dressing. Do not remove embedded objects, leave that to medical staff. If there is anything embedded in the skin, do not try to remove it. This should be left to a professional.
  5. Disinfect, then cover the injured area with an appropriate dressing such as a wound pad, compress or an adhesive bandage.
  6. Keep all cuts clean and change dressing regularly.

Expert tip

“Did you know that you can speed up wound healing? Using a special plaster will create optimum conditions for moist wound healing, which will accelerate healing by up to 50 % and reduce the risk of scarring. Try Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Plasters for advanced results.

“USING SPECIALISED PLASTERS
SUCH AS FAST HEALING
WILL SPEED UP HEALING
BY UP TO 50 %”

Its advanced technology ensures moist wound healing for optimal wound healing conditions and on top of that, flexible, breathable and waterproof material also ensures excellent skin tolerability.
Clinical studies show that this plaster will give you excellent cosmetic results.”

*Wigger-Alberti W. et al. J Wound Care
2009 Mar; 18 (3):123-28, 131

Carsten Hartkopf, Research & Development, Beiersdorf AG
Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Plasters will create moist wound healing conditions

WOUND DRESSING KNOW-HOW

  1. IS IT NOT BETTER TO LET SMALL WOUNDS DRY IN THE FRESH AIR, INSTEAD OF PUTTING ON A PLASTER?

    No. It is a wound care myth that keeping minor cuts and grazes uncovered helps them to heal faster. The opposite is true. Research shows that covered wounds heal more efficiently and have a reduced risk of infection. Elastoplast products provide safe protection until the wound is completely healed. (Also see: Moist wound healing.)

  2. WHEN SHOULD I CONSULT A DOCTOR?

    We recommend to contact a medical professional in the following circumstances:

    • if the wound is deep and causes major bleeding
    • if the wound shows signs of infection such as redness, warmth, pain and swelling
    • if there are embedded foreign objects
    • in case of an animal or human bite or in case of contact with animal blood
    • if the wound is in the area of the face
    • if there is insufficient tetanus vaccination

    and of course any time you have questions or are uncertain

  3. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY PLASTER?

    Usually, wound dressings and plasters should be changed daily for hygienic reasons. If you use an advanced plaster such as Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Plasters that provides moist wound healing conditions, it is recommended to leave it in place for up to two days or more in order to not interrupt the healing process.

  4. IT LOOKS LIKE MY WOUND GOT INFECTED AND PRODUCES PUS - WHAT SHOULD I DO?

    Contact a medical professional as soon as you recognise signs of infection. Symptoms include not only the occurrence of pus but also symptoms such as swelling, redness, heat, pain, itching or burning. In the case of infection, the wound will need medical care and special medical treatment.

PLASTER GUIDE - THE SPECIALISTS

Applying the right plaster can do a lot for your comfort and speed up healing. Find out what plaster is right for you.
  1. The waterproof specialists
    The Elastoplast Aqua Protect Plasters as well as the Heavy Fabric Plasters and the Water Resistant Plasters are waterproof and will not come off while washing or showering. All Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Plasters as well as the Family Pack Plasters are also water resistant.
  2. The elastic specialists
    Check out the     Elastoplast Fabric Plasters products: These plasters are made from specially flexible, breathable material, making them especially suitable for joints and moveable body parts; even for larger wounds on knees as they come in various sizes.
  3. The antiseptic specialist
    Looking to protect your wound from dirt as well as infection? Then try plasters which come with antiseptic ointments or an antiseptic such as Silver technology (i.e. Elastoplast Anti Bacterial Plaster) which are designed to help avoiding infections even more effectively. Additional cleansing and disinfection before applying the plaster is recommended.
  4. The finger specialist
    Elastoplast Clear Plasters – they are invisible, breathable and long so that they stick perfectly on fingers. 
  5. The sensitive specialists
    For extra skin protection, we recommend to use Elastoplast Anti Bacterial products. These plasters are very skin friendly and hypoallergenic.
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SOLUTIONS

A range of options

Make sure you have a staple of different bandages and wound dressings at hand so that you can properly protect your wounds. Covering your wounds the right way, is the first step towards healing.

The original Elastoplast Fabric Plasters are suitable for covering all types of smaller wounds and should be a part of anyone's medicine cabinet.

The all-purpose Elastoplast Heavy Fabric Plasters offer strong adhesion and come in different versions. For example, Elastoplast Antibacterial Plasters offer added protection against infection with antiseptic silver in the wound pad. The Elastoplast Aqua Protect Plasters are even ideal for protecting your wounds while swimming and showering. 

A plaster that protects your wound and can adapt to all of your movements is the Elastoplast Fabric Roll. The Elastoplast Antibacterial Plaster also comes with added protection against infection. 

For hypoallergenic wound protection consider Elastoplast Clear Plaster. It is made with a soft and breathable material, is painless to remove and offers skin-friendly protection. 

Cuts and grazes image
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PREVENTION

Tips

  1. When using sharp tools, be especially careful and if necessary, wear protective gear.
  2. In the kitchen, cut away from yourself and remember that sharp knives are actually less dangerous than blunt ones as they will pass through the object smoother.
  3. Pass scissors with the sharp ends pointing away from the person you are giving them to.
  4. It is not possible to avoid all cuts and grazes, so make sure to have a well-stocked first aid kit at home.
Don‘t pick at scabs. Right after you get a cut or scrape your body starts healing the wound. White blood cells attack infection-causing bacteria. Red blood cells, fibrin, and platelets create a clot over your wound. And in no time, a scab forms. If you pick off the scab, you may not only reopen the wound and introduce bacteria, you could also create a larger scar.
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Always see your doctor if the wound is deep, bleeding or shows signs of infection like reddening, swelling or warmth.  
Also make sure to seek medical help if you are not able to clean the wound properly.
In case you have diabetes, a proper wound care is of special importance. Always discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor and/or podiatrist, even for the care of minor wounds and skin cracks – especially on your feet.
 
Please note that none of the above given tips or recommendations substitute medical advice. Carefully read the instructions for use given in our products‘ packages. Important: consult a health professional in case of any uncertainity of treating your wound properly.
 
The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care or advice. If you have or suspect a health problem, you should consult your doctor. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it, because of something you have read on this website.

For further information regarding Elastoplast products, please contact us via email on Consumer care: ConsumerSA.External@beiersdorf.com or phone: 0860 102 091. Carefully read the instructions for use given in our products‘ packages.

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