Cuts and grazes – Cut yourself or suffered from a graze? Attend to it properly so that your skin can recover quickly.

Remember to wash your hands carefully before treating a wound. Any break in the skin can be susceptible to bacteria penetrating.

Clean the wound carefully, wiping away any dirt and grit. Use a clean cotton cloth with a mild disinfectant spray or rinse with cold water, then pat area dry before applying a clean dressing.
Do not remove embedded objects, leave that to medical staff. Usually it is recommended to disinfect the graze or abrasion.

In any case, cover the cut or abrasion with a plaster. A plaster will protect the injured area from friction, bacteria and contamination, will absorb wound fluid and create conditions in which the wound can heal undisturbed. Tip: Special Elastoplast plasters such as Fabric Antibacterial already contain antibacterial silver in its woundpad which will reduce the risk of infection.

Stay calm and reassure the person, even when there is a lot of bleeding. Decide if the casualty needs medical aid; ask for advice, if not sure.

With children: Explain what you are doing, that it might be a little painful but they will soon feel better.

Make sure, you wash your hands before applying plasters or dressings or wear disposable surgical gloves – this will cut the risk of infection.

A minor wound will soon stop bleeding.
If it does not, apply a little pressure to the spot with a non-stick pad until it stops.

If the bleeding continues, apply more gauze pads and keep
pressure on the wound and seek medical advice.

Clean the wound carefully, wiping away any dirt and grit. Use a clean cotton cloth sprayed with disinfectant or rinse with cold water, then pat area dry before applying a clean dressing. Do not remove embedded objects, leave that to medical staff. If there is anything embedded in the skin, do not try to remove it. This should be left to a professional.

Disinfect, then cover the injured area with an appropriate dressing such as a wound pad, compress or an adhesive bandage.

Keep all cuts clean and change dressing regularly.

No. It is a wound care myth that keeping minor cuts and grazes uncovered helps them to heal faster. The contrary is true. Research shows that covered wounds heal more efficiently and have a reduced risk of infection. Elastoplast products provide safe protection until the wound is completely healed. (Also see: Moist wound healing and Silver technology.)

We recommend to contact a medical professional in the following circumstances:if the wound is deep and causes major bleeding

• if the wound shows signs of infection such as redness, warmth, pain and swelling
• if there are embedded foreign objects
• if there are embedded foreign objects
• in case of an animal or human bite or in case of contact with animal blood
• if the wound is in the area of the face
• if there is insufficient tetanus vaccination
• and of course any time you have questions or are uncertain

Usually, wound dressings and plasters should be changed daily for hygienic reasons. If you use an advanced plaster such as Elastoplast Fast Healing that provides moist wound healing conditions, it is recommended to leave it in place for up to two days or more in order to not interrupt the healing process.

Contact a medical professional as soon as you recognise signs of infection. Symptoms include not only the occurrence of pus but also symptoms such as swelling, redness, heat, pain, itching or burning. In case of infection the wound will need medical care and special medical treatment.

The waterproof specialists
The Elastoplast Aqua Protect Strips as well as the Fast Healing plasters are waterproof and will not come off while washing or showering. All Elastoplast Plastic plaster as well as the Junior plaster are also water resistant.

The fabric specialists
Check out the Elastoplast Fabric products: These plasters are made from specially flexible, breathable material, making them especially suitable for joints and moveable body parts; even for larger wounds on knees as they come in various sizes.

The antiseptic specialist
Looking to protect your wound from dirt as well as infection? Then try plaster which come with antiseptic ointments or an antiseptic such as Silver technology (e.g. Antiseptic Plaster and Antibacterial Sensitive) which are designed to help avoiding infections even more effectively. Additional cleansing and disinfection before applying the plaster is recommended.

The finger specialist
Elastoplast Fabric Finger Strips –
they are extra long so that they stick perfectly on fingers. Moreover Elastoplast has a special “handset” with three different plaster shapes to fit fingertips and knuckles, the Elastoplast Fabric Hand Pack, available as well as a waterproof Aqua Protect version."

The sensitive specialists
If you have very sensitive skin we recommend to use Elastoplast Sensitive products. These plasters are especially developed for sensitive skin and are very skin friendly and hypoallergenic.

When using sharp tools, be especially careful and if necessary, wear protective gear

In the kitchen, chop away from yourself and remember that sharp knives are actually less dangerous than blunt ones as they will pass through the object smoother.

Pass scissors with the sharp ends pointing away from the person you are giving them to.

It is not possible to avoid all cuts and grazes, so make sure to have a well-stocked first aid kit at home. Find tips on what it should contain here.