Take Care Of Your Cuts Step By Step♡

take care of your cuts step by step♡

identify their depth

epidermis: very thin, like a line. didn't bleed or bled a little immediately after making it. gets bloody red, then blood droplets start forming inside it. overall looks like your usual, average accidental cut.

dermis: can be thin or wide. you can see a white layer inside them, and then they start bleeding. slowly start to get filled with blood, and then it starts pouring (takes a couple seconds).

hipodermis: wide. you can either see fat, muscle or bone. if you see a white layer surrounded by fat, that's fascia, not dermis. fat may look like beans. starts bleeding after a couple seconds like dermis.

take proper care according to depth

epidermis: softly wipe with a towel and cover with a bandage of choice (bandaids recommended for only one cut, gauzes recommended for multiple cuts in one spot). if you have anything to avoid infection, like an antibiotic that you can apply to it, pour a little in the towel and repeat the first step. do not use alcohol as a disinfectant.

dermis: grab a towel and wrap it around the damaged area. press hard (if it hurts too much, apply less pressure) against the wound for around 5-10 minutes, depending on how wide the wound is. apply disinfectant carefully with the same towel (not the bloody part), avoid putting it inside the cut. use bandage of choice (gauzes and clean cloth recommended). seek medical attendance if deemed necessary.

hipodermis: grab a towel and wrap it around the damaged area. press hard (if it hurts too much, apply less pressure) against the wound for around 8-10 minutes. cover the wound with bandage of choice (clean cloth/regular bandages recommended). seek medical attendance, cuts of this depth cannot be taken care of without a professional. do not try to disinfect it at home, wait for a doctor's opinion.

meet psychological needs

you will be alright, i assure you.

please talk to someone, a close friend or beloved family member, a partner, a teacher, etc. vent to them if you feel safe doing so, take your time.

write it down in a notebook, or the notes app. read it as if it was someone else's vent. try to imagine how you would respond to make them feel better.

this isn't over. you can keep going, i believe in you and i'm here for you if you want to talk.

listen to your favorite songs, cuddle with a pet, take a nap, doodle, have a snack, etc.

don't worry, you got this!

this can be scary for you and i get it, but i promise that you will heal from this, okay?

if you're panicking, take very deep breaths.

cry if you need to.

hug a plushie.

pour cold water in your hands.

drink water and have some food if you haven't had it in a while.

identify the issue once you feel ready emotionally.

deal with the problem by either solving it (don't be scared to ask for help!) or learning to cope with it.

take your time to heal.

healing isn't linear.

ilysm.

some time after cutting...

epidermis: after a day, you can remove the bandage. you don't need to cover it again, but if it's more comfortable for you then go ahead.

dermis: if it bleeds through, change the bandage. if it doesn't bleed through, change the bandage after a day. repeat until it gets better. avoid physical activity that hurts the damaged area.

hipodermis: time for the ER, baby! you will probably get stitches. do not, by any chance, attempt to remove them. follow medical advice given to you.

signs of infection

pus or cloudy fluid is draining from the wound.

a pimple or yellow crust has formed on the wound.

soft scab, the scab has increased in size.

increasing redness occurs around the wound.

a red streak is spreading from the wound toward the heart.

more pain, the wound has become very tender.

pain or swelling is increasing 48 hours after the wound occurred.

swollen node. the lymph node draining that area of skin may become large and tender.

a fever occurs.

the wound hasn't healed within 10 days after the injury.