Kids run around all the time. Sometimes they end up tripping, falling or tearing up the skin on their knees. While this is normal, it can still be painful. It might help you to know how to treat any skin abrasions. We’re here to help. Keep reading to learn more!
What is a Skin Abrasion?
Skin abrasions are shallow but apparent wounds on the skin. In dermatological phrasing, it’s considered a lesion on the epidermal layer of the skin. The epidermal layer is pretty reedy compared to other parts of the skin, and it’s only about 0.1 millimeters thick.
Skin abrasions, or scrapes, are usually caused by a fall or a run-in with a hard object. They can be cleaned with soap and water or even an antibiotic ointment. The body will primarily use its own healing abilities, but antibiotic ointments will speed up the process.
In some cases, the wound may leave a scar after it heals. The good news is most of the bumps and bruises kids get as a result of being young and rowdy rarely get a chance to bleed, let alone scar. Milder abrasions usually heal on their own after a few days, but more severe or deeper abrasions will take much longer and may require some medical assistance.
Types of Skin Abrasions
There are various types of skin abrasions, often classified by medical experts on a scale of degrees, as follows:
- First degree: this involves only an epidermal injury to the skin.
- Second degree: here, both the epidermis and the dermis are affected. There is a small amount of bleeding evident.
- Third degree skin abrasion: this type of abrasion involves the subcutaneous layer of the skin.
Symptoms of Skin Abrasions
Because skin abrasions are shallow, they’re easily noticeable, not to mention you can feel them! Milder abrasions may be marked by:
- Numbness
- Weakness in the surrounding muscles
- Tenderness around area
- Excessive bleeding
- Intense swelling and pain
What Causes Skin Abrasions?
We all get scrapes at some point in our lives. Maybe we fell, maybe we scraped against a rough surface a little too hard, etc. If just the top layer of skin is affected, it’s an abrasion, not a cut. Skin abrasions are more common in kids than adults, since kids have more delicate skin and engage in more rough and rowdy activities like sports, skating, jumping, running, etc.
Treatments for Skin Abrasion
Here are some of the best treatments for abrasions:
- Dock leaves: turned into a lotion, these can help treat wounds. They’re still beneficial in their leaf form, though!
- Honey: honey helps heal wounds quickly, making it perfect for treating scrapes.
- Aloe vera: aloe vera gel helps relieve conditions and speed up healing.
- : dressing wounds helps speed up their healing and keep them clean.
- Cleaning the wound: this should be your first step to prevent infections.
