Should an open wound be covered with a bandage?

This is an automatically translated article.

Open wound is a condition that can be encountered in daily life. However, not everyone knows and understands how to properly care for an open wound. In particular, whether the wound is covered or not is also of great interest to many people.

1. Should an open wound be covered with a bandage?

The problem, whether an open wound should be covered or not, is a question many people ask. In fact, this problem depends on how the injuries are.
When there is no need to bandage the wound: When we leave the wound open, it is likely that it will be rubbed on our clothes, contaminated with dirt, and in a position where we often have to work, it is easy to cause infection. So if the small openings aren't in areas that could get dirty or clothes rub, you don't need to cover them. Doing so with small wounds will help them dry faster and heal faster, or in cases of pressure ulcers, it is also recommended to let them dry naturally. When to Dress Open Wounds: In cases of large open wounds, if left untreated, the wound will not be covered, leading to the drying of new surface cells, which may increase pain or slow healing. healing process, so large open wounds need to be bandaged to ensure aseptic and keep from getting wet to keep moist, clean wounds to help reduce scarring and speed up healing. In addition, in cases where the wound may be easily soiled such as hands and feet, irritation or rubbing by your clothes, it is recommended to cover it with a sterile gauze pad. Thus, depending on the actual condition of the wound, the choice of whether to bandage it or not. But small open wounds you can handle yourself, but with large open wounds need the care of medical staff.

2. How to bandage an open wound?

To bandage an open wound, you first need items such as: Sterile gauze, bandages or adhesive bandages.
First, clean the area with open wound and apply a sterile gauze bandage over the wound site. Before applying, you can use iodine alcohol to clean the wound. Stabilize the wound. It can be as simple as using medical tape to fix the bandage around the wound site. Or in some cases can use district tape. Unfold the bandage and start with the end of the roll above the wound, then finish the turn and secure the ends of the bandage with clips or the rest of the bandage itself. After fixing, it is necessary to leave the open wounds in a high position to avoid swelling. Change the dressing daily to avoid the risk of infection and especially need to avoid water to ensure that the bandaged wound does not get wet. In addition, with small wounds in the limbs, you can disinfect the wound, then use urgo bandage to cover the wound to avoid rubbing or infection.

3. Some notes when having an open wound?

Some notes when taking care of an open wound:
If you cover an open wound, you should absolutely avoid getting wet, especially from unclean water. After dressing the wound, it is necessary to change the bandage daily and monitor to assess the progress of the wound. Always check the wound, if there is any abnormality, it should be noted immediately. Some signs of an open wound need medical attention such as: The wound does not heal but jagged. Facial wounds require careful care to maximize the risk of scarring. The edges of the wound show signs of opening, not healing. Open wounds have dirt that will not come out, cannot be washed. Signs of swelling, redness, more severe, pus discharge with a bad smell, yellow or green. There is a fever above 37.5 degrees Celsius. The area around the wound feels numb. Open wounds with some mild cases may not need a bandage to allow the wound to breathe, but cases of open wounds on large areas of skin should be covered with a bandage to prevent infection and moisturize the skin. Damaged skin heals faster. If you are not sure about your condition, you should go to medical facilities for proper treatment.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical examination address, with a team of qualified doctors, many years of experience and a system of modern equipment and machinery. Therefore, when there are any health problems, customers can go to the hospital for examination and timely treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: aafp.org - health.clevelandclinic.org