Lacerations cuts and grazes: wound dressing
Do you need a wound dressing after a sharp object causes a break in your skin? Are you experiencing significant pain, bleeding, or bruising? Wounds can get infected without proper dressing, so get urgent care for deep lacerations, cuts and grazes.
Have a life threatening emergency?PHONE 111
What are is the difference between lacerations and cuts?
Cuts and Lacerations
A cut is a clean, more superficial cut gash in the skin caused by a knife or glass but with no loss of skin. Fortunately, you can treat most superficial cuts at home.
Meanwhile, a laceration generally refers to a deep cut or tear in your skin and flesh. Often this causes your wound to gape and have jagged edges. If you notice a laceration is bleeding heavily, you might need urgent care to:
- stop bleeding
- get stitches
- apply a wound dressing that will keep it dry and clean i.e. a hydrocolloid patch
Why Grazes and punctures need wound dressing
Grazes
Abrasions or grazes happen when your skin’s surface is torn, often from a fall on a pavement or road. So, grazes often have bits of gravel and dust in the wound. Therefore, they need careful cleaning. At Urgent Care, we can help remove these types of foreign bodies, which can be tricky to get out yourself.
Puncture wounds
Many of the puncture wounds we see are deep. Normally, they are caused by sharp objects digging into your skin and flesh. Minor accidents with nails, wire, thorns or even a bite from an animal are often the culprit. It’s good to be aware that wounds that are deep may contain dirt, so they are quite likely to get infected. So, watch for signs of infection, especially Cellulitis, as you must take them seriously.
Get urgent care for deep lacerations, or cut and grazes that are bleeding heavily
- If your bleeding is heavy from any wound injury, go to your GP or Urgent Care Clinic.
- Apply pressure with gauze and a bandage or clean linen.
- Our team will be able to thoroughly clean your wound and glue or stitch it as needed.
- Meanwhile, we’ll check if you are up to date with your tetanus cover and, if not, recommend a booster.
- Also, come to see us if you notice signs of infection or need a change of dressing on an existing wound.
First Aid Treatment and Wound dressing for Superficial cuts and grazes
- Firstly, check your cut to see how deep it is. Then, assess how much bleeding you have, and if there is dirt, gravel or sand in it.
- Stop any bleeding by putting pressure on your cut or laceration. Use a clean cloth or gauze.
- Wash your hands, then clean the wound under running water.
- Next, clean around the wound with mild soap.
- Gently clean out any gravel from a graze. You may need to use tweezers. If you can’t remove gravel etc, come to East Care for removal.
- Apply an antiseptic cream like Savlon or Crystaderm.
- Apply a band-aid or larger waterproof wound dressing.
- Change your dressing each day or when it gets wet or dirty. Also, regularly check there are no signs of redness, swelling or increasing pain or pus, which show an infection is developing.
Use a waterproof Hydrocolloid patch to keep a wound dry
Specialised waterproof dressings are called Hydrocolloid patches and bandages. These are sometimes recommended for more significant wounds.
- They are waterproof and help to keep wounds clean. Also, they speed up healing and reduce scarring.
- Furthermore, Hydrocolloid patches absorb moisture from the wound. This provids a healing environment and ensures that any scabs do not stick to the dressing.
- Beneficially, you can shower with them on. This keeps the laceration, graze or burn clean and dry.
- An example of a Hydrocolloid patch is Band-Aihydroseald advanced healing plasters.
How to contact us
- Email info@eastcare.co.nz
- Phone number (09) 277 1516
- Fax (09) 277 1515
- Address: 260 Botany Road, Howick 2013, Auckland
- Postal: PO Box 38306, Howick 2145, Auckland
Complementary onsite services
At our Botany Road premises, we offer a number of onsite services including a Pharmacy and Radiology to ensure your visit to the Centre is as stress free as possible.
Frequently asked questions
To join our clinic, you first need to fill out the patient enrolment forms to register with the PHO that we belong to. This is a Ministry of Health requirement. You will need to provide proof of identity and eligibility which may include the following forms of identification:
- NZ Passport or NZ birth certificate
- International passport with resident visa OR work visa of minimum 24-month duration
On the enrolment form you need to indicate which of our doctors (currently taking new patients) that you would like to be registered with.
Yes. As part of completing your enrollment, we request that you have a new patient screening appointment with one of our Nursing or Medical Centre Assistant team members.
This new patient appointment enables our team to work with you to better understand your current health and wellbeing.
Following the new patient appointment as above, you can book your first consultation with your nominated doctor.
The length of your first appointment with your new doctor will be as follows:
| Age | Screening appointment | GP appointment | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-13 yrs | - | 15 minutes Free |
15 minutes Free |
| 13-17 yrs | - | 15 minutes $13.00 |
15 minutes $13.00 |
| 18-39 yrs | 15 minutes $10.00 |
15 minutes* $19.50 |
30 minutes $29.50 |
| 40+ yrs | 15 minutes $10.00 |
30 minutes $39.00 |
45 minutes $49.00 |
* Note: if you have a chronic condition, please make a booking for 30 minutes.
Payment is required at the time of consultation
You will get full access to the patient portal “My Indici” once you have completed your screening appointment.
Payment is required at time of consultation. Please note that unpaid accounts will incur an additional $10 monthly administration cost.
There may be additional costs for treatments/tests/materials
We recommend that you book your future appointments via your patient portal My Indici.
If you need an urgent appointment, then please phone the clinic. We have doctors available to discuss your urgent health needs on the day.
All consultations are by appointment only.
Patient portals are secure online sites where patients can access their health information and interact with their general practice. Please give us call on (09) 265 1325 or send us an email at info@ormistonmedical.co.nz, and we can set up your account.
14-17 years $14
18+ years $16
Urgent prescription $27.50
We are open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm.
For health services after hours visit East Care Accident & Medical, 260 Botany Road, Golflands, Auckland 2013. Their phone is 09 277 1516.
These are consultation prices only.
Under 14 Years - Free 14 - 17 years - $14 18 years & over - $16
Note charge is the same for in person or by phone or video as you are still receiving the same high quality health provider assessment, diagnosis and planning.