Everyone knows from childhood that if you break your knee, there will be a sore. But this word is colloquial, the official term is scab. That is, if a crust has formed on the wound - this is a scab.
How scabs form, their functions
Scabs form whenever there is an injury to the skin. It can be scratches, abrasions or burns. They can also occur with certain types of skin diseases.
The scab immediately begins to close the surface of the wound, forming from dead particles of the epidermis, blood, ichor, pus. All these secretions are dried under the influence of oxygen.
The main function of this crust is to protect the damaged area of the skin from infection. No pathogenic bacteria or dirt can enter through it. But such a protective reaction of the body can also lead to unpleasant complications, so it is worth treating the wound immediately after receiving it.
The scab remains on the damaged area until the epithelium is completely restored, then it falls off. You should not tear it off yourself, as you can cause bleeding, then the recovery process will be interrupted. In addition, it is possible to infect the wound.
When the scab isproblem
What is a scab? This is a natural function of the body. The main purpose of the skin is protection. Therefore, the scab, which protects the body from the ingress of pathogenic bacteria from the outside, is important for ensuring this function. And in most cases, there is no need to interfere with the natural wound healing process.
But there are exceptions to the rule. For example, a wound may not crust, but remain wet or inflammation will begin under it. With a large area of damage, the scab can cause serious inconvenience. Then you need the help of a specialist who will dissect it. Sometimes this procedure is carried out as an emergency measure when the scab interferes with the full blood supply.
Infection of the wound
Wound infection is a process during which inflammation develops and pus forms at the site of damage to the skin, due to the entry of pathogenic bacteria. Infection can occur from the external environment or from the body itself. If there is already an inflammatory process in it, then the infection can enter the wound through the lymphatic or circulatory system.
Although quite often, pathogens come from the external environment.
Signs of a wound infection
After the bacteria are in favorable conditions, within 12 hours they already make themselves felt. Inflammation begins on the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe skin, manifested by the formation of pus and painful sensations that have a pulsating character, as well as tissue edemaand redness.
Wound infection can have more severe manifestations. Several factors influence the severity: the area of the lesion, the type of microbes, the state of the body's immunity.
So the patient may have a fever, increased sweating, or vice versa - chills appear. Sometimes there is a rapid pulse and tachycardia, there are problems with sleep. Also, the presence of infection can be judged by the analysis of urine (protein is found in it) and blood (the level of leukocytes will rise).
Infectious infection can be dangerous in its consequences. In the worst case, blood poisoning can occur.
What to do if inflammation begins under the crust
If pus or pain suddenly appears in the wound, then you will have to answer differently what a scab is. This is a crust that prevents the skin from regenerating and therefore requires medical intervention. It is recommended to see a surgeon to gently open the wound and clean it.
If this is not possible, you can disinfect it yourself. To do this, you need to make the surface of the wound accessible for manipulation. The scab cannot be torn off, as after healing an ugly scar may remain. It is better to use a compress that will help soak the crust. An infusion of calendula and chamomile is best suited for this.
A warm compress should be applied to the crust and left for 15 minutes. Then, when it is soaked, using a cotton pad, you can treat the wound and apply an ointment containing an antibiotic overput a bandage on her. This treatment should be done several times a day.
What to do when a weeping wound appears
From the above it is clear what a scab is - it is a protective crust covering the site of damage to the skin. But this does not always happen, sometimes the wound does not crust and remains wet. Most often this happens when you get a burn, trophic ulcers, dermatitis and weeping eczema. A weeping wound always requires treatment. This is often a long process.
When a problem occurs, it is recommended to seek help from a specialist who will determine the cause of such a complication, conduct appropriate treatment and prescribe treatment. It is usually necessary to wash the wound with hydrogen peroxide or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After that, a healing ointment is applied, and on top of it - a bandage. It needs to be changed regularly, at least 2 times a day, but if it gets wet, then more often.
You can use traditional medicine recipes to speed up wound healing. For example, onions have a good disinfecting property. The grated head should be put in gauze and applied to the wound. The compress will help relieve swelling and draw out pus.
Potato has a good healing property. It is necessary to squeeze the juice out of it, in which to moisten a piece of bandage, folded several times, attach to the wound, apply a bandage on top. The compress needs to be renewed every 6 hours. At first, it is worth doing this more often - once every 4 hours. When the weeping wound begins to dry out, it can be lubricated with sea buckthorn oil.
By the way, the damaged area may get wet and not heal if oxygen supply is limited to it. For example, to seal the cut area for too long with a band-aid.
If the damage to the skin is shallow and small, then you should treat it and trust the protective functions of the body. As a rule, after a while it will already be possible to see what a scab is. In case of serious damage, seek qualified assistance.
