What Is the Fastest Way to Heal an Open Wound?

An open wound is an injury that includes an external or internal break in your body tissue, usually the skin. Nearly, everyone experiences an open wound at some point in their life. Mostly, they are minor and can be treated with home remedies. You may have

• Incisions (cuts): These are caused by a sharp object slicing the skin, such as a knife or during surgery.
• Lacerations (rugged cuts): These are blunt trauma that splits the skin such as being hit with a heavy object.
• Abrasions (grazes and scratches): These are caused by rubbing or grazing of the epidermis (surface layer of the skin), especially the knees, shins, ankles, and elbows.

Mostly, simple minor cut wounds do not need stitches to help them to heal. These wounds are left open to heal. Wounds that cause skin tears may require special care with bandages or dressings that keep the wound bed moist without sticking to the wound. Wounds that cause deep lacerations and abrasions may need to be closed by using stitches, staples, or adhesive glue.

See your, doctor, if you have

• A deep open wound that looks challenging and requires stitches.
• Wounds due to animal, insect, or human bites.
• Puncture wound.
• Unclean wounds contaminated with feces, soil, saliva, glass particles, dirt, and dispersed.
• Profusely bleeding wound, even after applying continued pressure.
• The necessity to evaluate for a tetanus immunization. 
• Wound with redness, swelling, and oozing.

Signs of infection such as

1. Fast heart rate.
2. Confusion.
3. Disorientation. 
4. High heart rate. 
5. Fever or shivering. 
6. Breathlessness. 
7. Extremely severe pain despite taking pain relievers. 
8. Clammy or sweaty skin.

Most open wound treatments for minor injuries start healing by forming new skin tissue within one to three weeks if it is managed through periodic cleaning and dressing changes.

All wounds will be swollen, red, and painful but may vary in degree of pain. They may bleed. Usually, the pain is mild, and symptoms get better within two to three days. You can take over-the-counter pain medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if required or the one which your doctor has prescribed you.

All wounds leave a scar. At first, your scar will be red and thick, but over time, it will become white, thin, and smaller; sometimes, it almost disappears. Everyone’s skin heals at different rates depending on their health, age, diet and wound infection. In some, the scar rises and becomes thicker called a keloid scar. After your wound heals, apply sunscreen to control scarring. Your doctor may advise some treatment options for the keloid scars.

Serious bacterial wound infection-causing

• Gas gangrene (decomposition of the tissue due to gas, forming bacterial infection).
• Tetanus (fatal bacterial infection).
• Heavy scarring that causes contractures (bands), reducing movement of the joints
• Life-long disabilities
• Chronic wound infection
• Deep bone infection 
• Death