While you can’t count on much in life, cuts and scrapes are an uncomfortable exception. Whether you slice your finger cutting something in the kitchen or your child comes home with a badly scraped knee, these everyday injuries are a part of life.
The good news is that, in many cases, your body is well-equipped to handle everyday cuts, scrapes and burns. There are certain circumstances, however, when the better action is to get medical attention for specialized wound care.
At Forest Urgent Care, both of our board-certified physicians — Dr. Waiho Lum and Dr. Ping Wong — are on call to handle your family’s illness and injury care.
In the following, we review a few important rules of thumb when it comes to seeking medical care for your cuts and scrapes.
There are certain characteristics of cuts to look for, as they will likely benefit from stitches, staples, or medical tape or adhesive.
We can’t really put a measurement to it because a two-inch cut that is very shallow will likely heal on its own while a deeper, one-inch wound might need medical help.
Some factors to look for include:
If you’re still unsure, we always suggest that you err on the side of caution and come see us.
There are certain circumstances in which we want you to see us, regardless of the severity of the cut or scrape. For example, if it’s an animal bite, you may be at risk for a viral disease like rabies. Or, if someone in your family cuts themselves on old metal, please come to our urgent care center so that we can make sure your tetanus vaccine is up to date.
If you decide to let the cut or scrape heal on its own, we want you to watch for signs of infection around the wound, which include:
If any of these symptoms develop or you suspect that something’s not right with your wound, please come see us as soon as possible.
If you’re among the more than 38 million Americans who have diabetes or the 12 million people who have peripheral artery disease, any cut or scrape is cause for concern.
Any health condition that slows your circulation can compromise your body’s ability to heal, which can make even a tiny cut on your foot a large and limb-threatening problem.
So, if you’re prone to slow-healing wounds, please come see us for any cut or scrape so we can provide treatment that encourages healing and stay one step ahead of infection.
We want to reiterate that it’s always best to use caution when it comes to cuts and scrapes, so seek our help if you’re not sure if it needs medical attention. You can visit our clinic during our hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm, as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Or, you can use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment at our New York City office in Forest Hills, Queens.
