If you get a scrape on your forearm or knee, you might just clean it out and let it heal exposed to the air. This is usually fine, because certain areas of our bodies are less likely to come in contact with dirt, debris and germs. On the flip side, there are other areas, like your hands and feet, that touch a variety of surfaces and are exposed to germs on a regular basis. If you get a cut on one of these surfaces, bandaging the wound is a must. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how to clean and bandage wounds that occur on your feet and toes.
The Benefits of Bandaging
If you get a cut on the bottom of your foot or near one of your toes, you’re going to want to clean and disinfect the site before bandaging it. Since your foot will inevitably come into contact with dirty surfaces, that bandage can provide a crucial layer of defense between germs and the wound.
Aside from offering protection from germs, a well-placed bandage can also help to make walking on the foot more comfortable. Bandages provide a little extra padding to protect the area, and you also won’t have to worry about bleeding onto your sock or shoe.
Finally, it is very important that you monitor the healing progression of the wound on your foot, especially if you have diabetes. Since your feet are the furthest body part away from your heart, they are less likely to get the best blood flow to the area. Limited blood supply can inhibit the natural healing process, and this is even truer for diabetics whose condition may have damaged nerves or blood supply structures. Wounds that don’t heal are exposed to germs for a longer period, increasing your chance of an infection, which becomes even more problematic since you’re not getting adequate blood flow to the infection site.
How To Clean Your Wound Site
Here’s how to properly clean, disinfect and bandage your wound site.
1. Press gauze onto the area until bleeding has stopped.
2. Rinse the area with water, then with a sterilization agent like rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
3. Dry the area with a paper towel before placing a band-aid completely over the wound.
4. Change your bandage twice a day and keep an eye out for signs of an infection.
If you notice that the wound site is not healing, you believe there’s an infection, or pain isn’t decreasing, reach out to Dr. Silverman and his experienced staff at Silverman Ankle & Foot for an evaluation.