A cut, also known as laceration, may be defined as an opening or break in the skin. Cuts may occur in various types - deep cut, smooth cut, or jagged cut. A cut may occur close to the skin surface or deeper into the skin. Depending on the depth of a cut, it affects the muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves and may even have an effect on the bone.
We suffer from wounds when our skin is broken or damaged due to an injury. There may be several causes for such injuries, including mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or even from nuclear sources. In addition, our skin may suffer damages in various ways subject to the injury's mechanism.
There are various types of wounds and inflammation of the skin. The various types of wounds include superficial injuries, deep abrasions, puncture wounds, pressure sores and human as well as animal bites.
Superficial wounds as well as abrasions usually occur on the surface of the skin and do not have any effect on the deeper skin layers. Usually this kind of wounds is a result of friction or rubbing against any abrasive surface.
On the other hand, deep abrasions (like lacerations and cuts) pass through all the skin layers right up to the basic tissues like muscles and even the bone.
Usually, puncture wounds are caused by any sharp, pointed objects that enter the skin. Some instances of puncture wounds include a stepping on a nail, a needle stick, or any stab wound with a knife. In fact, bites by humans as well as animals may also be categorized as puncture wounds or abrasions or a blend of both these types of wounds.
Pressure sores, also called bed sores, can occur owing to absence of sufficient blood supply to the skin. This is generally caused by a chronic pressure on a particular skin area, for instance, in people who are bed-ridden for long, anyone who sits in a wheelchair for long hours, or due to a cast that presses on the skin. People suffering from diabetes, malnutrition or circulation problems like peripheral vascular disease are more vulnerable to developing pressure sores.
There are various types of wounds, including abrasion, avulsion, laceration, incision and puncture, but many of us are not aware of their exact meanings. Below is a brief description of each of these types of wounds.
Abrasion
Abrasions generally occur when our skin scrapes or rubs quite hard against any hard or rough surface. For instance, road rash is one reason for having abrasions. Usually, abrasions result in plenty of bleeding. Nevertheless, it is important to scrub and clean the wound with a view to prevent it from being infected.
Incision
Incisions are caused by sharp objects like a knife, a razor blade or a shard of glass. Like abrasions, incisions also cause much bleeding because they go deep into the skin layers. When any incision goes very deep into the skin affecting the tissues, it can damage the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Laceration
A laceration can be described as a tearing of or deep cut in the skin. Some of the causes of laceration involve tools, knives and machinery. In case of such wounds, the bleeding is extensive as well as very rapid.
Puncture
A puncture or piercing is a little hole that is caused by any long, pointed object like needle, nail or an ice pick. Occasionally, a puncture wound may even be caused by a bullet. While punctures are unlikely to cause much bleeding, often these wounds may be sufficiently deep to cause harm to one's internal organs. Therefore, if you suffer a punctured wound, even if it is a small wound, it is advisable that you visit your physician or healthcare provider and get a tetanus booster injection with a view to avoid the wound being infected.
Avulsion
If a part or the entire skin as well as tissue tears away owing to an injury, it is known as an avulsion. Generally, avulsions happen when one meets a violent accident, for instance, gunshots, body-crushing mishaps or even explosions. Such wounds cause rapid and heavy bleeding.
While trivial or superficial wounds can be treated at home, you need medical help to help the body heal large wounds. It is up to your doctor to decide whether a particular wound needs to be glued or stitched.
It is worth mentioning here that appropriate care is necessary to heal wounds so that they do not become infected. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that you do not have any associated injuries that require treatment. Proper care helps to heal the skin faster and in a better way. It is always preferable to have an excellent cosmetic result once the wound has healed completely.
For instance, if you have suffered a minor cut, it is possible to treat it at home. Provided you are not vulnerable to get an infection, have no other injuries and also do not require a tetanus booster shot or be treated by a doctor, you can clean the wound yourself and bandage the cut at your home. Even home treatment of cuts or minor injuries can help to avoid infections and support healing, provided it is done in a proper manner.
A few common suggestions regarding taking care of different types of wounds, both stitched and unstitched, include keeping the area of the wound clean and dry. You may also cover the wound with an occlusive dressing using a thin film that is protective as well as waterproof.
Elma 01 is an excellent skin care ointment and is effective in promoting healing wounds. Hence, it is recommended that you apply it to your wound. Last, but not the least important, never try to undertake any vigorous or strenuous activities, because hard physical actions may result in bleeding at the site of the wound.