Wound Care
Unless otherwise directed by your physician:
Keep the wound clean, dry, and at rest. If swollen, keep the area raised or elevated.
Your dressing should be changed every 24 hours. If the bandage sticks to the wound, you may remove it by soaking the bandage in a bowl of clean, warm water. Once the wound is dry (not oozing), you may leave the bandage off and leave the wound exposed to the air.
If the dressing or wound gets dirty, wash the wound with clean, warm water and a mild hand soap. Dry with a clean face cloth or clean paper towel.
If you have a scalp wound, keep your hair dry for at least 12 hours to allow the wound to scab. After this, you may wash your hair gently.
Look for signs of wound infection:
Increasing pain; Redness increasing around the wound; Swelling; Thick, pussy drainage; A red streak extending from the wound on the skin; Fever or chills. See your family doctor or return to the Emergency Department if your wound is infected or you have numbness or swelling below the wound, or if you cannot move the joint below the wound.
Burns should have a non-stick dressing applied (e.g. Jelonet, Sofra-Tulle) after cleaning and before a dry gauze dressing is applied. You should inspect a burn every 24 hours for signs of infection.
Polysporin or Neosporin may be applied daily to the wound if you are not allergic to them.
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