Ask Lemmy @lemmy.world lillardfair @lemmy.world 11 mo. ago

How long is a wound considered open?

I've been having this debate with someone who is a bit of a germaphobe in my view.

Say I have a paper cut on my finger. It's deep enough to bleed initially, but it stops within a couple minutes. Maybe I need a bandaid at first, but after a day or 2, it is past the point where it starts bleeding again if I accidentally hit it or rub it on something. A couple days on, it still has the little flap of skin on it. Later, that goes away, but you can still see where it was. Finally, there is no trace. At what point in this process is the wound effectively closed?

When can you resume normal activities (dish washing, food prep, go in a pool/hot tub, have a dog lick your hand) and not worry about infection?

14 comments

Wounds heal from the inside out. Once bleeding stops it means that it is effectively “closed” as the inside is no longer leaking out. The rest of that is just the layers of skin repairing itself from the bottom to the top.

So as others have said, when it stops bleeding is when it’s “closed”.
- Solid explanation! Thanks
If your friend is actually a germaphobe, then just because something is safe, that doesn't mean they won't worry about infection.
- Yes, a germophobe won't be swayed by facts or logic.
  
  Agreed, but I am. Some of the specific points of the concern were not easily searchable.
  
  A phobia is an unusually high level of salience applied to the fear generated by an object.
  
  It has nothing to do with an inability to see logic.
  
  A germophobe is extremely motivated to avoid germs. In the service of that mission they are perfectly capable of seeing and using logic.
A wound is open for as long as it's bleeding. For something like a papercut, this should be just a few minutes for most healthy adults. If you mess with the scab, the wound can be re-opened, though.

when can you resume normal activities

As long as you're not actively bleeding and take the smallest precautions (wear a bandaid), you should be able to resume these within minutes
- Thanks, this is how I've always operated, but the person I've debated this with is so entrenched it makes me wonder if I've just been sloppy and getting lucky.
  
  Curious what your friend thinks on this topic, actually
Normal activities for a paper cut? I'd you don't have a compromised immune system, Live your life once you're done bleeding. Exceptions for sticking your hand in raw sewage.
I'd consider it closed once it's clotted.

When can you resume normal activities

After a papercut? Immediately.
When it’s dry

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