Cuts
Treatment for victims
- Wash with soap and water.
- Apply an antiseptic.
- Cover with a sterile bandage.
- Keep the cut dry and change the bandage as needed.
Serious injuries and large wounds
If a person is seriously injured, call for help immediately and try to stop the bleeding.
- Do not try to wash the wound as it could cause the person to go into shock.
- Apply pressure and elevate the wound above heart level.
- Do not remove an embedded or protruding object.
- Do not attempt a tourniquet.
- If a finger, toe, or other body part has been amputated, wrap it in a clean cloth, place it in a sealable plastic bag filled with ice water and take it and the victim to the Emergency Department right away.
When to call a Doctor
You need stitches if your cut is:
- Deep enough to expose tissue in the body
- More than half an inch long on the face or hands
- More than an inch long anywhere else on the body
Don't wait to get stitches, even if you are able to stop the bleeding. After a few hours, the wound can't be sewn together without sealing in germs. Besides the risk of infection, it's likely to leave a scar.
Back to First Aid.