Whether the knife slipped while you were cutting vegetables, or your child fell off a bike…we’ve probably all dealt with our fair share of cuts, scrapes and scratches.
There can be risk of an infection any time the skin is broken. It’s always important to clean the site, apply an antibiotic cream, and cover it with gauze or a bandage if necessary. These steps should help prevent an infection because most infections occur when germs have gotten into the area where skin is broken. If a wound isn’t healing as expected, however, keep a close eye on it.
Here are a few warning signs that a wound may be infected, and that it’s time to contact a healthcare professional:
- Wound becomes more painful instead of improving
- Expanding redness around the cut or wound; the red area may feel warm or hot
- Swelling or tenderness of the wound
- Yellow or green pus, or other cloudy discharge from the wound
- A red streak spreading from the wound
- Fever