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Cuts

Overview

Cuts are open wounds through the skin. Normally the skin is under slight, constant tension as it covers the body. A cut is a forceful injury to the skin. Many people cut themselves by accident with household items, work items, or yard tools or when operating machinery. Children often are cut during play and sports activities or from falls while riding wheeled toys, such as bikes, scooters, or skateboards. Most cuts are minor, and home treatment is usually all that is needed.

Types of cuts

Some types of cuts are more serious and need to be checked and treated by a doctor. These more serious cuts include:

  • Long or deep cuts.
  • Cuts that open with movement of the body area, such as a cut over a joint. A cut over a joint may take a long time to heal because of the movement of the wound's edges.
  • Cuts that may scar and affect the way a part of the body looks or functions. A cut on an eyelid or lip that doesn't heal well may cause problems with function or leave a noticeable scar.
  • Cuts that remove all of the layers of the skin (avulsion injuries), such as slicing off the tip of a finger. An avulsion injury may take a long time to heal.
  • Cuts from an animal or human bite. Infection is more likely with a bite injury.
  • Cuts that have damage to tissues under the cut. Injuries to nerves, tendons, or joints are more common with cuts on the hands or feet. Slight swelling, bruising, and tenderness around a cut, bite, scrape, or puncture wound is normal. Swelling or bruising that begins within 30 minutes after the injury often means there is a large amount of bleeding or that deeper tissues are damaged.
  • Cuts over a possible broken bone. Bacteria can get into a cut over a broken bone and infect the bone.
  • Cuts caused by a crushing injury. With this type of injury, the cut may have occurred when the skin split open from the force of the injury. The force of the injury may also damage tissues and blood vessels under the cut. Crush injuries have a high risk of infection.
  • Cuts that have or are thought to have an object still in the wound. For example, the object might be glass or wood.

Injury to the skin may also break small blood vessels under the skin. This can cause more swelling and bruising than you would expect.

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.