Have you ever had a cut or burn that you really didn’t want to show off? Or do you not heal quickly because of diabetic symptoms? Well, here are a few of our great-grandmother’s old fashion cures.
After a cut, scrape or wound has been properly cleansed, there are several things you can do to improve the speed of healing and to reduce the chance of scarring.
Honey has been used to fight infection until the early 20th century. Use raw Manuka honey that is produced by bees foraging on Manuka flowers and might be more effective than antibiotics.
Virgin coconut oil can keep your skin moist and improve your fibroblast proliferation and wound healing, but use this oil on the area only twice daily.
DuoDerm is a hydrocolloid dressing that protects the wound from bacteria and keeps it moist to improve healing.
Avoid smoking! Healing of your wound requires good blood supply and this reduces that supply to your skin and reduces your absorption of vitamin A.
Nutrition. Choices to make are Beta-carotene or vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc, B-Complex vitamins, Bromelain and L-arginine.
Some indications that tell you to see a physician following receiving a cut or wound would be:
The cut will not stop bleeding
The injury is very large or very deep
There is dirt or debris that you can’t remove
There has been injury to an artery or cut is deep and near a bone
The wound has been caused by an animal or human bite
The wound appears to be infected with green or yellow pus, red area around the wound is expanding, skin around the wound looks “crinkled”, area around the wound is much warmer than rest of skin and red lines that appear to be coming from the wound area.
These are just some tips to properly care for your minor injuries. Be cautious, and if you cannot care for the wound yourself, be sure to seek medical attention. An infection, out of control, will cause you not only pain and possibly your life, but can result in becoming very expensive in the process. Don’t take chances!