When everything goes well, most basic cuts and scrapes typically take about one to two weeks to heal, and those that are particularly large could need more time. This is especially important if there are symptoms of shock, which may include: A first aid kit thats properly stocked can make all the difference in stopping heavy bleeding. Depending on the size of the cut, you may always have a scar, but for many minor cuts, after several weeks or months, you may not even be able to locate the site of the wound. If a major artery is cut, a person can lose a life-threatening amount of blood in just 5 minutes. This helps to . From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. Many people like to shave right after or during a shower because the skin is warm, hydrated, and clean from oil and dead skin buildup. a splash of battery acid tones the skin right up. A DIY method could leave a scar, and because cherry angiomas are made of blood vessels, a basic Band-Aid might not stop the bleeding. The best way to help protect a cut or scrape from exposure to infection is to make sure the wound is properly covered, so you can keep bacteria from entering the wound. For minor injuries such as these, youll still want to stop the injury from bleeding. Even a tiny shaving cut is an open wound, which provides a portal for bacteria to enter your body, potentially leading to infections. Security Keys Are the Best Way to Protect Your Apple ID, Use a Can of Soup to Make a Lazy Chicken Pot Pie. But staying calm and being prepared with a well-established first aid kit can make a difficult and painful experience a lot less traumatic. For stubborn small bleeds, you may need to hold pressure for 15 minutes without interruption to allow a clot to form. Instead, pick up a styptic pencil, or alum block. If the injury has caused serious skin damage, you may need a skin graft. Be gentle to avoid re-opening the wound. Take a clean washcloth and run it under warm water. This could dislodge the clot and cause bleeding to begin again. 5. A sterilized bandage or Band-Aid, antiseptic spray, and a healing agent such as Neosporin can all be helpful in treating these injuries and preventing future infection. Chronic wound healing: A review of current management and treatments. Using bits of toilet paper may be a classic move, but it could take a while to stop the bleeding, and frankly, looks ridiculous. Taylor of Old Bond Street aftershave, $16.99 Buy it here. Any medications that you are taking that could adversely impact your platelet function, such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications will likely increase your bleeding time, says Iberia Romina Sosa, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. The warm water will help clean the cut, and the bleeding should slow meanwhile. Learn six home remedies to stop bleeding caused by small cuts. Place a cool compress on the skin for 5 minutes. If youre unsure if your injury needs a doctors evaluation, look for the following: A deep, long, or jagged cut may need stitches to close the wound. Tired of Shaving Accidents? How to Shave Without Cutting Yourself - WebMD Ad Choices. Use cool or lukewarm water and a mild soap or cleanser to gently remove dirt or debris. Carefully use tweezers cleaned with rubbing alcohol to remove pieces of glass, gravel, or. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. It may be a little harder to come by, but you can find alum blocks on Amazon and some old school barber shops. You can get away with shaving your own armpits and legs, but probably not your pubes. If the finger appears to have become infected, a prompt medical evaluation is essential. You can also follow any of the above-listed methods to stop the bleeding. Traditional bandages cover the wound, but they dont seal the injury completely, meaning water and bacteria can still find their way in, says Melinda Cettina, Apply an aftershave formulated for preventing razor bumps . Even washing the dishes or playing a quick game of football can bring bad bacteria back into the wound. Bleeding Cuts & Wounds: How To Stop Bleeding & First Aid Treatment - WebMD Bad idea. If youd like, use a nasal spray in the bleeding nostril while the person holds their head still. When you cut yourself shaving, you bleed like crazyfor two reasons: The large number of blood vessels near the surface of your face, and the sharpness of your razor. Luckily, if youre in a pinch, your stick of antiperspirant will do just fine all three contain ingredients that tighten your skin and constrict your blood vessels, which will quickly stop you from bleeding all over the place. Rats_In_Boxes 10 yr. ago. Sure, a nick on your fragile cheeks might not be as painful as razor burn or as annoying as ingrown hairs, but it will have you cursing the very act of shaving when another clean white shirt falls victim to a cut that wont close. In the evening, you can reapply witch hazel after cleansing the face, too. 5 Simple Yet Effective Steps To Avoid Cutting Yourself While Shaving How to Stop Bleeding if You Take Blood Thinners - WebMD From staying hydrated to sitting less, what you can do. For the next 24 hours, do not: Avoid hard foods like pretzels and nuts for 2 to 3 days. Forget the toilet paper wad and try these easy options instead. Anything to make sure the cut is closed off. Last medically reviewed on August 21, 2019, A cut finger can happen quickly and without warning. If the wound is on an arm or leg, raise the limb above the heart to slow bleeding. If the person develops a fever or begins to have pain again at the sign of the cut, seek medical attention immediately. All rights reserved. Check with your primary care physician if youre not sure. The wound may look puckered and feel a little itchy as its healing, but thats normal. The wound is a result of an animal or human bite. This Coffee Shop Provides Free Therapy for Men, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. There are some situations in which you shouldnt try to administer any kind of first aid at all. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. With that in mind, heres what you should know about how to stop any of this from happening. It may begin bleeding again. Alum is one of the most classic, reliable methods of stopping a shave cut. How the Microbiome Could Transform Your Skin in Surprising Ways, How Surprising New Research Is Tapping the Powers of the Immune System. Signs of infection include: Also, if the cut doesnt seem to be healing, this may indicate that theres an infection, or the wound requires stitches. Mayo Clinic Staff. Apply a witch hazel-based toner or other alcohol-free aftershave to disinfect the wound. All Rights Reserved. Eventually, the scab falls off to reveal healthy, shiny skin, and you feel as good as new just another day on the job for the incredible human body. A bleeding cut (or laceration) can be a painful and even frightening injury if the cut is especially deep or long. Then slather on some lemon juice for bigger gashes. Many deodorants are actually made of some form of aluminum (referred to as aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminium choride) which helps to constrict blood vessels. 1 Doing so will give you a clearer sense of how deep the cut is. Salt will stop a cut from bleeding. (One of them is as easy as applying a little lip balm.). Accidents happen all the time, from your childs latest boo-boo to a co-workers on-the-job injury to slicing your finger while chopping veggies, so knowing how to stop the bleeding is key. Got a Cut or Scrape? They dont go any deeper than the skin, and theres no substantial blood loss. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Small cuts are annoying and painful, but fortunately, theyre not dangerous, and you can treat them at home. If you think the cut could be infected, see your health provider ASAP. When you shave on a regular basis, nicks and cuts are pretty much impossible to avoid. But what if your cut isn't mending quickly? Learn more about these serious fractures, how theyre treated, and what to expect. We've all been there-maybe you sliced the tip of your finger instead of the bagel, nicked yourself shaving, or got swiped at by a feisty cat. Try to rinse soap out of wound to prevent irritation. Splash some cold water on the area first, then apply your tool of choice. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Luckily, if youre in a pinch, your stick of, Bottom line, the best thing you can do is shave gently and avoid getting sliced in the first place. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. Hold it for 5 minutes straight, no breaks. It also constricts blood vessels too, helping form a clot and staunch bleeding, says Dr. Mercurio. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. The first reason is just nature's way the second reason, not so much. How to Tell If You Need Medical Care, Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, Gunshot Wound: First Aid, Recovery, and Outlook, Beat the Heat with a Cold Bath: 8 Tips for a Refreshing Dip. 2 Clean the Wound Once the bleeding has stopped, wash the cut and skin around it. Incorporate this effective 5-step guide in your routine to reap all the benefits and get healthier-looking skin, without creating a bloody mess. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting a Td booster shot every 10 years so you're covered in situations like this. Dr. Fertel shares the steps to take with a small cut. Please see our Privacy Policy. You are now leaving jnj.com. Itll help get the bacteria and dirt out. "It's important that you are applying antibiotic ointment to the wound after it stops bleeding to prevent an infection," says Dr. Zeichner. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. To help ensure a healthy healing process, change the dressing daily or more frequently if it becomes wet, dirty, or bloody. Dont have either of these? When your skin is cut or scraped, you begin to bleed. You may have heard about alternative remedies for helping a wound stop bleeding-usually, these involve placing ingredients like paprika, bentonite clay, or coffee grounds on the cut to help the blood clot. If the initial scab covering the wound grows bigger or becomes surrounded by redness, there may be an infection. You might be more inclined to buy this if you have a full beard, as it has the added benefit of lessening irritation after heavy-duty shaving. Make sure you've removed any dirt and debris that might've gotten into the wound, using tweezers if you have to. Treating minor cuts and grazes Bleeding from small cuts and grazes can be controlled by applying pressure to the cut using a clean, non-fluffy pad (preferably a sterile dressing, if you have one). Instead of using warm or tepid water from the bathroom sink, grab an ice cube and apply it with pressure to your cut. Maintain firm and continuous pressure until the bleeding has stopped . By now, the cut should be done draining, and there should be some balm inside the wound, helping to nurture the nick. When you cut yourself shaving, you bleed like crazy for two reasons: The large number of blood vessels near the surface of your face, and the sharpness of your razor. (2017). The Best Yoga Mats, According to Top Yoga Instructors, Jillian Michaels Urges Fans to Stay Away From the Keto Diet, Sign up for Yahoo Lifes daily newsletter, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Women who had ovarian cysts share their stories, Why 'Love Is Blind' star Deepti Vempati didn't talk about her eating disorder with her family, Christina Aguilera says stigma 'that it's shameful to get older' in the public eye makes her 'really sad'. A minor cut should heal in under a week. Traditional bandages cover the wound, but they dont seal the injury completely, meaning water and bacteria can still find their way in. 1. First of all, make sure youre properly, . A bleeding cut on your finger requires immediate attention to help reduce the odds of infection and help it start healing as soon as possible. If youve cut yourself with a new blade, its often the result of applying too much pressure. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Smoking Pot Every Day Linked to Heart Risks, Artificial Sweetener Linked to Heart Risks, FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test for COVID and Flu, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Living With DVT: Tips to Keep Away Blood Clots. The alum disinfects the nick and halts further bleeding. When the wound stops bleeding, release the pressure. How to stop bleeding: Home remedies and preventing infection Do Not Sell or Share My Personal InformationLimit the Use of My Sensitive Personal InformationCookie Settings. For this procedure, a healthcare provider will first clean the wound with a topical antibiotic. If you want the most efficient way to stop your shaving cuts from bleeding, keeping a styptic pencil on hand is probably your best bet, says Dr. Mercurio. slimpicker 10 yr. ago. However, if not treated properly, the risk of excessive bleeding, infection, or other complications can turn a simple cut into a much more serious medical problem. Add another layer if blood soaks through the cloth or pad. Could a cold bath be the key to beating rising temperatures? Bleeding thats not controlled by applying pressure. A gunshot wound is a medical emergency. But if you just get the occasional run-of-the-mill shaving cut, here are, six fast and easy ways to stop your shaving cut from bleeding. Most people dont want to see their own blood, let alone someone elses! To first stop the bleeding, blood cells start to cluster together to promote clotting. 5 Things We Now Know About Peripheral Artery Disease. It will also keep blood from flowing down into the stomach, which can cause nausea. No, you dont have to smell like a bubblegum or a strawberry to take advantage of this one. Make a tourniquet only if you know how and your injury is life-threatening. This may make it bleed more. The first reason is just nature's waythe second reason, not so much.