Care for All of Your Cuts & Scrapes at Southcoast Health
A cut, or laceration, is a wound that opens or breaks the skin. It is a very common soft tissue injury.
Most cuts are minor, don’t require medical attention and heal quickly. However, deep cuts can damage underlying tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels and bones. It can take several weeks for a deep cut to heal.
If you have had a deep cut or other injury, you can trust your complete wound care and recovery to our urgent care team at Southcoast Health Urgent Care Center. Our locations are open nights and weekends in Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Lakeville Seekonk, Wareham, MA and Middletown, RI.
Risk Factors & Causes of Cuts
A cut results from a sharp object slicing the skin open or blunt force that crushes or tears the skin open. Most cuts happen accidentally from activities like cooking, yard work, playing sports or using machinery.
Symptoms of a deep cut include:
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Pain
- Swelling
Our Treatment Options for Cuts in MA & RI
Most cuts will heal on their own with basic first aid, following these steps:
- Wash your hands with soap and water, and then wash the cut with soap and water.
- Apply gentle pressure with a sterile bandage or gauze to stop any bleeding. Elevating the wound also helps.
- Check for dirt and debris and remove it.
- Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a sterile bandage.
- Change the bandage once a day or when it becomes dirty or wet.
Over-the-counter pain relievers may improve your comfort. Contact a doctor at Southcoast Health if signs of infection develop. This includes redness, swelling, warmth, increasing pain and drainage from the wound.
Seek medical attention or urgent care for cuts with any of the following situations:
- Bleeding will not stop after 10 minutes of steady pressure
- Muscle or fat is visible (Go to the ER if bone is visible.)
- Wound is deep or dirty, and you have not had a tetanus shot in the last five to 10 years
- Wound is gaping or jagged
- Wound is large or deep, even if bleeding is not severe
- Wound is on the face, head, neck or over a joint
Don’t let your cut or scrape turn into something more serious — come to Southcoast Health for quick urgent care from a team of experienced medical professionals.
Southcoast Health treats patients of all ages with cuts and lacerations in southeastern Massachusetts, as well as parts of Rhode Island.