How to Heal a Skinned Knee
Check the wound., Wash your hands before treating the wound.You do not want to cause an infection when treating your skinned knee, so wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before starting to take care of it., Stop any bleeding., Rinse...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check the wound.
Most of the time, a skinned knee is a relatively minor problem, treatable at home—but inspect your wound just to be sure.
A wound is considered minor and treatable without medical attention if:
It is not deep enough to see fat, muscle, or bone.
It is not spurting blood.
Its edges are not jagged and far apart.
If you do notice any of these conditions, contact a doctor.
If the scrape was caused by rusty metal and you have not had a tetanus shot in several years, you should contact a doctor. -
Step 2: Wash your hands before treating the wound.You do not want to cause an infection when treating your skinned knee
If you want extra protection, you can also put on disposable gloves before starting to clean the skinned knee. , If there is any bleeding on your skinned knee, stop it by applying pressure on the site.
If dirt or debris is blocking the spot where the knee is bleeding, rinse it off before trying to stop the bleeding.
Otherwise, rinse and wash the wound area after stopping the bleeding.
To stop the bleeding, hold a clean cloth or gauze over the bleeding portion of the wound, and apply pressure for a few minutes.
Change the cloth or gauze if it becomes soaked with blood.
If the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes, contact a doctor, as stitches may be required., Let cool water run over your skinned knee, or pour it over it.
Do this long enough to make sure that the water has flowed over the entire area, and washed away any loose dirt and/or debris., Use antibacterial soap and water to clean around the wound, but try not to get soap in the wound itself, as this can cause irritation.This will help to wash away bacteria and keep away infection.
Hydrogen peroxide and iodine were traditionally used to disinfect skin wounds, such as a skinned knee.However, hydrogen peroxide and iodine can actually damage living cells, so medical professionals now advise that you should not apply them to a wound., If anything is stuck in the wound, like dirt, sand, splinters, etc., use tweezers to carefully remove this material.
First clean and sterilize the tweezers by rubbing them with a cotton ball or gauze soaked in isopropyl alcohol.Rinse with cool water once the debris is removed.
If dirt or other material is lodged so deep in the wound that you cannot get it out, contact a doctor., Once you have rinsed and washed the skinned knee, gently use a clean cloth or towel to dry the area.
Patting rather than rubbing it dry will help you avoid unnecessary pain. , This can deter infection and help the wound as it heals.There are numerous types of antibiotic creams and ointments, containing different active ingredients or combinations (bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin, for example).Always carefully follow the directions provided with your cream regarding the amount to use and method of application.
Some creams have mild analgesics incorporated as pain relief.
Some ointments and creams may cause an allergic reaction in some people.
If you notice redness, itching, swelling, etc. after using one of these products, stop using it and try another one with a different active ingredient. , Make sure to cover your skinned knee with a bandage, to protect it from dirt, infection, and irritation from clothing during the time it needs to heal.
You can use an adhesive bandage, or sterile gauze held in place with tape or an elastic band., Change the bandage covering your skinned knee daily, or more frequently if it becomes wet or dirty.Wash any dirt away from the area, as before.
Research demonstrates that removing an adhesive bandage quickly rather than slowly will probably cause less pain, although it depends somewhat on the nature of the wound.Rubbing the ends of an adhesive bandage with oil, and letting it sit for a few moments, might help remove the bandage with less pain. , An antibiotic cream will also keep a wound moist as it heals, which will prevent the scabbing and scarring that may result if a wound dries out.
Generally, creams can be applied once or twice a day. check with product directions for frequency., Exactly how fast your skinned knee will heal depends on a number of factors like your age, nutrition, whether or not you smoke, your stress level, if you have an illness, etc.
Moreover, antibiotic creams will only stave off infections, not actually heal the wound faster.
If you wound seems to be healing abnormally slowly, check with a medical professional, as it could be a sign of something more serious, like an illness., You will need expert attention:
If the knee joint stops working.
If your knee feels numb.
If the wound bleeds and won’t stop.
If there is dirt or other foreign material in the wound that you can’t get out of it.
If the wound site becomes inflamed or swollen.
If red streaks radiate from the wound.
If the wound site drains pus.
If you run a fever of over
100.4° F (38° C) -
Step 3: so wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before starting to take care of it.
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Step 4: Stop any bleeding.
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Step 5: Rinse the wound.
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Step 6: Wash the wound.
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Step 7: Remove any debris.
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Step 8: Gently pat dry.
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Step 9: Apply an antibiotic cream
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Step 10: especially if the wound was dirty.
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Step 11: Cover the wound.
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Step 12: Apply fresh bandages as needed.
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Step 13: Reapply antibiotic cream daily.While this alone doesn’t make the wound heal faster
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Step 14: it will stave off infection.
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Step 15: Pay attention to how the healing is progressing.
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Step 16: Contact a doctor if things seem to get worse.
Detailed Guide
Most of the time, a skinned knee is a relatively minor problem, treatable at home—but inspect your wound just to be sure.
A wound is considered minor and treatable without medical attention if:
It is not deep enough to see fat, muscle, or bone.
It is not spurting blood.
Its edges are not jagged and far apart.
If you do notice any of these conditions, contact a doctor.
If the scrape was caused by rusty metal and you have not had a tetanus shot in several years, you should contact a doctor.
If you want extra protection, you can also put on disposable gloves before starting to clean the skinned knee. , If there is any bleeding on your skinned knee, stop it by applying pressure on the site.
If dirt or debris is blocking the spot where the knee is bleeding, rinse it off before trying to stop the bleeding.
Otherwise, rinse and wash the wound area after stopping the bleeding.
To stop the bleeding, hold a clean cloth or gauze over the bleeding portion of the wound, and apply pressure for a few minutes.
Change the cloth or gauze if it becomes soaked with blood.
If the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes, contact a doctor, as stitches may be required., Let cool water run over your skinned knee, or pour it over it.
Do this long enough to make sure that the water has flowed over the entire area, and washed away any loose dirt and/or debris., Use antibacterial soap and water to clean around the wound, but try not to get soap in the wound itself, as this can cause irritation.This will help to wash away bacteria and keep away infection.
Hydrogen peroxide and iodine were traditionally used to disinfect skin wounds, such as a skinned knee.However, hydrogen peroxide and iodine can actually damage living cells, so medical professionals now advise that you should not apply them to a wound., If anything is stuck in the wound, like dirt, sand, splinters, etc., use tweezers to carefully remove this material.
First clean and sterilize the tweezers by rubbing them with a cotton ball or gauze soaked in isopropyl alcohol.Rinse with cool water once the debris is removed.
If dirt or other material is lodged so deep in the wound that you cannot get it out, contact a doctor., Once you have rinsed and washed the skinned knee, gently use a clean cloth or towel to dry the area.
Patting rather than rubbing it dry will help you avoid unnecessary pain. , This can deter infection and help the wound as it heals.There are numerous types of antibiotic creams and ointments, containing different active ingredients or combinations (bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin, for example).Always carefully follow the directions provided with your cream regarding the amount to use and method of application.
Some creams have mild analgesics incorporated as pain relief.
Some ointments and creams may cause an allergic reaction in some people.
If you notice redness, itching, swelling, etc. after using one of these products, stop using it and try another one with a different active ingredient. , Make sure to cover your skinned knee with a bandage, to protect it from dirt, infection, and irritation from clothing during the time it needs to heal.
You can use an adhesive bandage, or sterile gauze held in place with tape or an elastic band., Change the bandage covering your skinned knee daily, or more frequently if it becomes wet or dirty.Wash any dirt away from the area, as before.
Research demonstrates that removing an adhesive bandage quickly rather than slowly will probably cause less pain, although it depends somewhat on the nature of the wound.Rubbing the ends of an adhesive bandage with oil, and letting it sit for a few moments, might help remove the bandage with less pain. , An antibiotic cream will also keep a wound moist as it heals, which will prevent the scabbing and scarring that may result if a wound dries out.
Generally, creams can be applied once or twice a day. check with product directions for frequency., Exactly how fast your skinned knee will heal depends on a number of factors like your age, nutrition, whether or not you smoke, your stress level, if you have an illness, etc.
Moreover, antibiotic creams will only stave off infections, not actually heal the wound faster.
If you wound seems to be healing abnormally slowly, check with a medical professional, as it could be a sign of something more serious, like an illness., You will need expert attention:
If the knee joint stops working.
If your knee feels numb.
If the wound bleeds and won’t stop.
If there is dirt or other foreign material in the wound that you can’t get out of it.
If the wound site becomes inflamed or swollen.
If red streaks radiate from the wound.
If the wound site drains pus.
If you run a fever of over
100.4° F (38° C)
About the Author
Gloria Kennedy
Experienced content creator specializing in lifestyle guides and tutorials.
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