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Cuts

Minor skin wounds often occur due to unexpected trauma and may include lacerations, cuts, abrasions, blisters and puncture wounds. Wound care is important to prevent infection. Medical professionals at A+ Urgent Care can help treat various types of wounds and help prevent infection. 

Types of Wounds

A laceration is a wound with an irregular shape. The skin surrounding a laceration often has ragged edges and there’s usually bruising and deeper skin damage. On the other hand, a cut typically has clean edges as a result of the cause of injury, such as a sharp knife. If deep, lacerations and cuts can bleed profusely and muscle and nerve damage can occur. Abrasions or grazes are more superficial and happen when the top layer of skin is removed after sliding across a rough surface. 

These types of injuries commonly contain gravel and dirt. Blisters are caused by friction between the top two layers of the skin. Puncture wounds are caused by a pointed object like a nail or knife and don’t usually cause too much bleeding. These wounds often seem to close almost instantly, but this doesn’t mean treatment is not needed. A puncture wound, such as stepping on a nail, can be dangerous because of the risk of infection. When dealing with a cut from sharp objects, apply pressure and use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound if available.

Infection

Wound infection is one of the biggest risks of minor wounds, as it can make a simple cut extremely dangerous and potentially deadly. “Dirty wounds” often contain bacteria and debris from the cause of the injury. These wounds should be cleaned and have any remains in the wound removed before being dressed. If you have not received a tetanus shot within five years, your doctor may recommend a booster within 48 hours of the injury in order to lower the risk of you getting infected. 

Why Choose Urgent Care for a Cut?

Urgent care for cuts in adults and children is sometimes necessary to assure that you can heal properly and return to normal function once the wound healing process is complete. A wound that is left untreated causes a high risk of infection. 

A severe cut can be a traumatic experience that requires immediate medical attention, in which case 9-1-1 should be called and you should go to the emergency room.

However, urgent care can often be a choice for many types of small cuts and open wounds. A+ Urgent Care can help diagnose and treat the cut and also help you get relief for the pain so that you feel better sooner rather than later. 

This can also assure that treatable minor cuts do not become long-term problems by accurately diagnosing and treating your issues, in the case that problems are serious, and preventing infection. 

If you think you may have a cut that needs urgent care, please contact one of our convenient locations near you to find relief. Our locations are open seven days a week with convenient daytime and evening hours.