Does a bruise heal faster when left open or when under bandaging?

Question

I fell from my bike and got a minor wound on my knee last day. Today morning, I removed the bandaging and found that the wound was still fresh but the bleeding had stopped.

I haven't went for a wound-dressing again. Should I just leave the wound open and apply Betadine ointment on it or should I go get it dressed again?

Hoping to receive some kind advice from all you wonderful people...

Hey thanks! All advices were helpful and I did go for dressing after leaving it open for less than an hour or so.

Thanks writersblock for the very helpful advice.

Thanks Z for again really very helpful advice.

And thanks h_s_mom for the very very helpful words. You cleared it all up for me. I did buy the bandaging stuff and yea, it is economically better and also more comfortable. Thanks!

And thanks to Sumax too for the new advice. I'd jus' leave this question open so that others might benefit from the advices.

Answer 1

Hi Batman.

I don't have any real medical advice, and I'm the worst one for being unable to quote medical jargon. Please keep that in mind as I tell you what I would do.

When you fell and visited the infirmary, I'm guessing their first goal may have been to stop the bleeding and clean the wound. The Betadine solution that I am familiar with is used as an antiseptic to help clean the area of any germs that exist around the wound site. Betadine is an iodine solution containing about 10% active iodine. I've just read that Betadine is used instead of straight iodine because it is apt to cause less scarring and won't increase the healing time as straight iodine does.

When the site is clean and the bleeding is controlled, a dressing is applied. Usually an antibiotic ointment is applied to help prevent infection. I don't believe I've ever seen Betadine ointment (Betadine suspended in a jelly like substance). I'm wondering if it is used as you would an antibacterial ointment or antibiotic ointment? Different agents fight against infection from different things: bacteria, fungi, virus, parasites.

If the wound is still fresh, I would suggest (as someone did above) applying a triple antibiotic ointment and a fresh dressing. If the doctor has supplied you with or suggested a specific ointment, then you should use what the doctor has recommended. The reason for the dressing is three fold. 1.) A fresh dressing will help protect the wound. It will help keep dirt and germs from getting on the wound. If the wound is still "fresh" then it is still apt to become infected. The dressing will also help protect the open wound from friction/rubbing from clothing. 2.) The fresh dressing will help keep the medication/ointment on the wound. This protects not only the wound but also furniture and clothing. If the dressing becomes wet or compromised, a fresh dressing should be applied. 3.) A dressing will help to absorb any blood or oozing that may come from the wound.

In our family we call a scab "God's Band-Aid." When a scab has formed, we pretty much stop any sort of treatment. At that time, a dressing might be applied to protect the scab from picking or bumping or chafing, but other than that we just leave it alone.

It will take an infected wound longer to heal. Please continue caring for the wound until it has healed, protecting it from dirt and germs. If you notice increased redness, swelling, oozing, an unusual odor, heat, or pain, you should go see the doctor as these can be signs of infection. And remember to keep the area clean and dry.

Just a side note: A trip to the infirmary for a dressing change might be costly. It may make sense economically to buy some gauze and adhesive tape (or large knee bandages -- depending on the size of the wound) and some triple antibiotic ointment. That way, you can change the dressing multiple times as it becomes wet or loosens. (Ask your doctor if this type of wound can be cared for at home and what type of dressing and ointments to apply.)

And remember to eat well and get plenty of rest. A healthy body will very likely heal faster than a neglected one.

Happy healing.

Answer 2

While bruising might certainly be found at the site of an open wound, there's a difference between the two. Bruises are bleeding UNDER the skin, which happens when blood vessels rupture due to trauma such as a blow to the muscle tissue. It's what's referred to when someone claims that they'll beat you "black and blue." An open wound is a tear or cut in the skin itself, exposing the fragile tissues underneath. While no amount of covering will speed the healing of a bruise (it's already covered in unbroken skin), covering an open wound will most certainly speed the healing process. Antibiotic ointments can and should be applied, then covered with a bandage to insure that the ointment will stay and dirt won't be rubbed into the damaged tissue. An open and dry wound will form scabs that crack and peel, allowing bacteria and debris to enter the site.

Please cover the knee; it'll heal much faster.

Answer 3

As a mother of two boys, and grandmother to three boys, I have a lot of experience with scrapes and bruises. The best advice is to hold a clean gauze dressing over it until the bleeding stops, place the injured part under running water, and leave it open to the air until you are going to bed. Then bandage it until you get up, and remove the bandage.

Keep it clean at all times. Most of the info I have seen say not to use any ointment or application of anything is best, because they can add bacteria.

Answer 4

Batty...just wanted to let you know that I completely agree with 'writersblock' on this one.
What you are describing doesn't sound like just a bruise tho...more like a skin tear or open wound. Betadine is for cleansing and also for infection protection. After it is healed to a scab I would recommend putting some neosporin ointment on it and lightly cover it to keep dirt and debris out...but leave it open at that point to help the healing process. Right now tho it sounds to me from what you're describing that you should leave it covered Batty and keep it clean.

Answer 5

Your wound sounds more like a skin graze to me. This is where the top layer of skin is scraped off, or pulled back.

I am NOT medically trained, but know from experience that such a wound needs to be covered to safeguard against bacteria and chaffing of cloths.

When I grazed my arm rather badly my doctor recommended silver backed plasters as the very best dressing. Apparently silver is a natural anti-bacterial agent . These were developed to combat the MRSA bug in hospitals.

I don't know if you have access to this form of dressing in India, or how relatively expensive it might be, but you could always seek the advice of a local chemist/pharacist.

Answer 6

Advice will vary. Usually a minor wound is kept clean and covered for two days and then open to the air to help the area dry and heal . Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 7

put triple antibiotic ointment on the scrape and bandage it.

Betadine is just a more modern version of iodine from what I know.

Answer 8

Keep the would covered for 3 to 4 days while still applying whatever given. 5th day remove and resume applying meds as directed. ?'s call yur Doc.

Answer 9

Open because covered it makes the blood harder to flow and takes it longer to get the same amount of blood to one spot