First Aid for Cuts and Wounds: What You Need to Know

When you accidentally cut yourself in the kitchen, what should you do next?

1) Get yourself to the emergency room or call 911

2) Dab on some antibacterial ointment and cover it with a bandage

3) Apply direct pressure for up to five minutes using a clean cloth

4) Rinse the cut with soap and cool water until clean

Answer:

Apply direct pressure to the cut, rinse with soap and cool water, apply antibacterial ointment, and place a bandage over it. Watch for signs of infection and seek medical help if the wound worsens.

When you accidentally cut yourself while cooking, the first step after ensuring you don't panic, is to apply direct pressure to the cut with a clean cloth. This helps to stop or at least slow down the bleeding. Meanwhile, it is important to ensure that you keep the wound clean, so the next step would be to rinse the cut with soap and cool water until it's clean. After you have sufficiently cleaned the wound, then you can apply some antibacterial ointment and cover it with a bandage to help prevent infection. The antibacterial ointment helps to kill any germs that may have gotten into the cut and the bandage helps to protect the wound from more germs as you heal. Lastly, continually watch for increased redness, swelling, and pain as these could be signs of an infection. If these signs appear, you should seek medical attention immediately. You should only consider going to the emergency room or calling 911 if the cut is severe, i.e., the wound is deep, won't stop bleeding, or is located on your face or any other sensitive area.