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When to Bandage a Cut
Dr. Travis Stork: And our last question comes from Mary in White Plains, New York. She writes, “Dear Doctors, my seven-year-old often comes home with minor cuts, scratches and scrapes. I know that all types of germs can grow or linger in his wounds. But I was wondering, is it always best to cover them up with a bandage or should I let the cuts breathe? Thanks.” Well, every kid gets cuts.
Dr. Jim Sears: And that a really good question because sometimes, if you put a bandage on a cut, you know how it gets really wet in there and moist and almost oozy and kind of gross in it.
Dr. Drew Ordon: It’s called macerated.
Dr. Jim Sears: Macerated, and the skin gets all white and pruney, you know, that’s not good.
Dr. Lisa Masterson: Stinky, yeah.
Dr. Jim Sears: Yeah, and stinky and that’s kind of keeping it too covered. So there’s kind of a balancing act. I’d like to -- you usually want to keep the wound covered to basically keep it clean. So if it’s in a place that’s going to get dirty like your hands or somewhere like that, yeah, definitely keep it covered. But I’d liked to air it out occasionally, like you know, if you’re at home and you’re going to change the bandage, leave it of for a few minutes or half an hour, so let the skin kind of breathe.
If the cut is somewhere that’s kind of hidden and it’s not going to get dirty and it’s not -- and it’s a pretty small cut, you could probably leave it open and just let it heal dry.
Dr. Travis Stork: Let them breathe on occasion.
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