First aid
Find out what to do in case of minor accidents
– and how to treat and heal minor wounds as
fast and efficiently as possible.
ABOUT
First Aid - first measures
Accidents can happen, and when they do it is important to keep a cool head. Not everyone is accustomed to seeing blood, and sometimes even something harmless such as cutting vegetables in the kitchen can lead to a deep cut that will bleed profusely. Knowing how to react and having a well-stocked first aid kit at home and in your car will help you be prepared.
YOU CAN‘T PREVENT ACCIDENTS,
BUT YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD
FIRST AID KIT AT HAND
8 Golden Rules of First Aid
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Stay calm.
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Check whether your surroundings are safe. Don’t put yourself or the injured person at risk.
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Decide if you or the injured person needs medical aid; ask for advice if not sure.
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Reassure the injured person, if they are severely injured and under shock, and keep them warm. Stay with the injured person, keep them comfortable and don’t move them if you suspect an injury to the back or neck. Call for medical help in that case.
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Tell the medical experts as much information about the accident and symptoms as you can. Also, if you know about allergies, blood group, vaccinations information or medical condition of the person (i.e. if they are on medication) let the medical expert aware.
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Wash your hands before attending to the wound and wear disposable gloves to protect yourself and to prevent infections.
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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.
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Keep your first aid kit up to date. Do not forget to replace any items you use from your first aid kit and check expiry dates regularly.
When do I need a doctor? When to seek medical advice.
Most minor cuts and bruises can be treated effectively with a first-aid kit. (see: TREATMENT). But how do you know if an injury needs closer attention?
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.
Recommendation: Also, seek medical advice in case of breathing problems; unconsciousness; a deep wound with major loss of blood; a severe burn; a suspected fracture or broken bone; a suspected heart attack; a severe allergic reaction; a snake, animal bite or human bite; poisoning; severe shock or any condition which turns rapidly worse.
TREATMENT
The golden rule for minor wounds:
Wash your hands and check if your wound needs cleaning. If small objects are embedded (sand, glass etc.) remove with a dry clean cloth or rinse under water.
Cleaning the wound won‘t hurt with the mild Elastoplast Wound Spray. Usually it is recommended to disinfect the graze or abrasion.
Now for the right wound dressing: See whether you need a bandage or a plaster. Elastoplast offers a wide range for every need and in every size and texture - invisible or extra durable.
Expert Tip - Why wound dressing?
Even if an accident happens out of the blue, you should take your time to dress your wound instead of letting it dry. Why? Because this will create optimum conditions for undisturbed and fast healing of your skin.
“In every wound the protective function of the skin is impaired. The objective of wound dressings is not only to protect the wound, but also to enable conditions in which healing of the skin can proceed as undisturbed as possible, so that the skin’s healthy structure can be restored.
“A PLASTER WILL PROTECT YOUR
WOUND AND IMPROVE
THE HEALING PROCESS
OF YOUR SKIN.”
In the treatment of minor everyday injuries using standard first aid dressings and plasters...
- protect your wound from external influences and prevent contamination and infection.
- ensure absorption of blood and secretion,
- reduce pain and mechanical trauma to a minimum during dressing removal and improve your comfort.“
Find out what Moist wound healing plasters can do to ensure better healing.
SOLUTIONS
First choice for first aid: Some products that might help
Finding the right wound dressing has never been so easy: Just rely on these Elastoplast
products that should be in every First Aid Kit.
The original Elastoplast Fabric Plasters is 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, the Elastoplast Antibacterial Plaster offers added protection against infection with antiseptic silver in the wound pad. The 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 Plaster. The Elastoplast Antibacterial Plaster also comes with added silver-protection against infection.
For hypoallergenic wound protection consider Elastoplast Clear Plasters. It is made with soft and breathable material, is painless to remove and offers skin friendly protection.
PREVENTION
It’s not easy to prevent minor wounds and scrapes. You can easily trip over a curb or mishandle a dull kitchen knife, and before you know it you‘re bleeding – and wondering, is that going to scar? A wound doesn‘t need to be deep or severe to leave a scar.
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to prevent some scars and reduce others. Follow this advice and you may have a tale to tell about your accident – without the scar to prove it.
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to prevent some scars and reduce others. Follow this advice and you may have a tale to tell about your accident – without the scar to prove it.
The Best Scar Prevention: Good Wound Care
The best way to prevent an unsightly scar or reduce its appearance is to do a good job caring for the wound. Use these two steps:
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1. Clean out a fresh cut or scrape properly. Proper cleansing helps prevent infection and promotes the best possible healing. Remove with a dry clean cloth or rinse under water. Irritants such as harsh soaps aren‘t good for cleaning minor wounds. In fact, these substances can actually delay healing. Additional disinfection may be recommended. You may want to use Elastoplast Wound Spray instead.
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2. Keep it covered. Keeping your wound covered with a wound dressing will help it heal undisturbed and protect it by preventing bacteria or dirt from entering and irritating the wound. Choosing a special Fast Healing plaster will help speed up the healing process by up to 50% and help reduce the appearance of scars. (also see: 5 good reasons for moist wound healing).
Tip: If you want to use wound cream to help keep your wound moist, try Elastoplast Wound Healing Ointment which already contains cream.
Don‘t pick at scabs. Just 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.
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 uncertainty 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.