Paper cuts are the most significant chance of getting injured in many offices worldwide. Although they are primarily harmless, these minor cuts can sting.
Let’s look at how you can treat these nuisances and how long they usually last.
Treat a paper cut by keeping it clean and bandaged for a few days. According to Healthline, if your bandaged wound remains clean and dry, and bandages throughout the healing process, you should have it entirely healed within two or three days.
In short: if you get a paper cut, wash it immediately and bandage it.
The remainder of the article will discuss the best way to treat paper cuts, how long paper cuts take to heal, and the quickest ways to speed along healing paper cuts.
How to Treat a Papercut
The most crucial part of treating a paper cut is to keep it clean and bandaged throughout the healing process. Keeping your paper cut concealed as it heals will prevent infection. Wear gloves and continuously clean your hands if you have a dirty day-to-day life. To treat the paper cut, take the following steps:
- Wash Your Hands: Immediately wash your hands with soap and water after receiving the paper cut. Be gentle as you wash your hands. If you choose to, you may
- Apply an Antibiotic Ointment: Applying a topical antibiotic ointment to your paper cut is an excellent way to minimize infection risk. Additionally, antibiotic ointments are great for reducing scarring, and a clean cotton swab is ideal for applying antibiotic cream.
- Bandage Your Papercut: Bandaging is one of the essential parts of the healing process. It would be best to rely on these bandages to keep your wound from infecting the bacteria you encounter daily.
Using bandages and some antibiotic ointment after a paper cut will help your paper cut heal nicely. It will also keep your wound from reopening or scarring. According to Healthline, you should change your bandage daily
. Or anytime it becomes wet. Following this advice offers the best and fastest healing results.
With What Do You Bandage a Papercut?
You may use several things to bandage your paper cut based on what is available. People will often take whatever is available and use it for bandaging material.
- Band-Aids: Band-Aids are a reliable bandaging method that you can easily interchange. They are clean, and you can purchase them in hundreds or more boxes. Apply the band-aid with a small layer of antibacterial cream.
- Petroleum Jelly: Petroleum jelly is a great preventative measure for keeping contaminants from entering your paper cut. When you cannot find a Band-Aid, carefully put a dollop of petroleum jelly on your paper cut and gently smooth it.
- Superglue: If necessary, superglue can make an excellent sealer if you are short on bandaging options. This extreme measure will hold your skin in place and prevent it from opening up. The best way to apply superglue is by using it along the edge of the paper cut.
- Medical Tape: Medical tape is a strong adhesive with a longer-lasting stick than Band-Aids. This bandage is meant to stick for long durations and is water-resistant, so it will not need to be changed as often as band-aids.
How Long Do Paper Cuts Take to Heal?
Paper cuts take only a few days to heal. But there are times when the healing process can take longer, especially for people with weakened immune systems or other chronic conditions.
In such cases, you can follow some safety guidelines to speed up the healing process. Bandaging the cut can help prevent infection and prevent the skin from reopening. You can also apply antibiotic ointment to promote faster healing.
Paper cuts are not serious injuries, but they can still cause pain. These cuts are often shallow and do not clot. Furthermore, these wounds can reopen easily because of their shallow nature, further exacerbating the pain. The best way to treat paper cuts is to apply antibacterial cream or bandage to avoid letting dirt or germs enter the wound.
Paper cuts are a typical office injury. Although they are usually not serious, they can still cause pain and may sting like a bee sting. Washing your hands after touching a paper cut would prevent infection. You should consult a doctor if you do not see improvement within a few days.
Paper is porous, which means it is a perfect host for bacteria. This bacteria can cause pain and infection; if left untreated, they can spread and cause more damage. Therefore, you should take care of a paper cut immediately.
Healthline says a paper cut should take two or three days to heal. Most papercuts are not very serious, so there is no need to worry. If you follow the proper procedures like washing your hands and using antibiotic ointment, your finger, hand, or anywhere else with a paper cut should be healed.
Why Is My Paper Cut Taking Longer than Three Days to Heal?
Everyone heals at different rates, so some may have paper cuts that take longer to heal than others. On the other hand, a few controllable factors may influence the speed at which a paper cut should heal.
- Improper care of the cut: Proper care is the leading cause, given that many people do not clean their wounds or change their bandages enough after getting a small paper cut. These paper cuts can still become infected or reopen.
- Overuse of the affected area: If you are overusing the area that a paper cut has wounded, it might take a long time to heal. Try reducing the usage of that area and see if the paper cut heals within a few days.
- Poor Health: People with weak immune systems will probably heal slower than people with robust immune systems. You might have difficulty healing paper cuts if you are sick or have a chronic illness.
How Can I Heal Paper Cuts Quicker?
You can heal your paper cut quicker by following the safety and health guidelines, such as washing your hands and bandaging your wound.
Wearing a bandage is a vital part of the healing process that can speed up how quickly your paper cut heals. It prevents infection and the cut from reopening, prolonging the healing process. Similarly, using an antibiotic ointment is proven to quicken the healing process.
How Long Does a Paper Cut Hurt?
Generally, you should begin to feel the pain of your paper cut dulling after the first day. The amount of time that paper cuts hurt varies for everyone. Typically, wearing a bandage will reduce the pain you feel from a paper cut, and this is because you will not be directly touching surfaces with your wound.
With a bandage covering your wound, you will have something to guard you and keep your paper cut from opening and shifting as you accidentally brush it against things.
When Should I Seek Medical Treatment for My Paper Cut?
Seek medical attention for paper cuts if you notice sudden medical abnormalities or excessive pain. Healthline says you may seek professional medical attention if your pain disappears or swelling occurs around the paper cut.
Other reasons to seek medical attention may include if your papercut is very deep, does not stop bleeding, or does not heal after a week. Observe your body for any changes to your physical or mental health after the paper cut. Otherwise, most papercuts are not that serious and should heal within days.
Why is my Papercut itchy?
Your papercut is itchy because it is healing. As the paper cut heals, new skin forms and stretches over the cut. This stretching can cause the area to become itchy as the new skin is more sensitive than the surrounding skin. Additionally, the healing process can cause inflammation, leading to increased itchiness. To reduce the itchiness, apply a cold compress or a moisturizing lotion to the area.
