Basic wound care for minor skin tears, abrasions, and small cuts means cleaning with running water or saline, applying a clean dressing, and keeping the wound covered and dry between changes. Older skin tears easily and heals slowly, so gentle technique matters: dab rather than scrub, and use paper tape or wrap dressings that will not strip fragile skin on removal. Check the wound at each dressing change for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, increasing pain, or discharge — the signs of infection. Deep wounds, wounds that will not stop bleeding with direct pressure, pressure injuries with open skin, and any infected-looking wound need a clinician; call emergency services for severe bleeding.
Basic wound care means cleaning gently from the least to most contaminated area, choosing a dressing suited to the wound, and checking at every change for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, or disc…