You don't have to get into fights or do extreme sports to get hurt, just an awkward turn or an accidental fall. Simple bruises and abrasions are quite common, a person gets acquainted with them in childhood, but a cut in the lip can scare not only the injured, but also everyone around. What to do and how to quickly provide first aid? How could such damage be dangerous?
Causes of injury
In domestic conditions, the dissection of the lip occurs most often by negligence or accident. You can stumble, fall and hit your face, get in the way of a stone thrown by someone. Traumatologists note that people get some of the damage as a result of curious and incredible coincidences. A case was recorded when a man went to the emergency room after being attacked by a chicken.
The consequences of a fight, beating or robbery do not apply to domestic injuries, butfall within the realm of crime. A broken lip can be accompanied by associated injuries that complicate the healing process. Any complicating factor is a strong argument in favor of not self-medicating and going to traumatology.
First aid and proper damage assessment
A large number of small blood vessels, the close proximity of the mucous membrane, a complex muscular structure that provides rich facial expressions - all these factors directly affect the immediate aggravating symptoms that accompany even a slight incision of the lip.
Severe and rapidly worsening swelling and profuse bleeding make it difficult to quickly assess the severity of the injury. Therefore, it is recommended to act according to a simple algorithm: if possible, stop the bleeding and wash the wound, apply cold.
Important: the ice compress can be applied for no more than fifteen minutes, after which it is necessary to take an equal break in duration.
The main parameters of the dissection are the length relative to the red border of the lips and the width of the resulting wound. If the gap goes beyond the red border of the lips, then serious damage to the muscle fibers can be suspected, and a width of more than 7 mm is a clear indication for surgical care.
How to treat split lip
If the wound needs to be sewn up, then it is better not to argue with the doctor on this issue. The fact is that due to the specific site of the injury, healing can be seriously complicated, and it is better to suture. Bring Edges Togetherplaster wounds on the lip usually do not work.
Washing a broken lip is better with chlorhexidine. Hydrogen peroxide can be used if there is contamination in the wound, in which case the internal tissues may turn white. This is not pus, you should not try to remove white inclusions formed due to primary processing. Zelenka, iodine, any alcohol solutions are categorically contraindicated, do not aggravate burn damage.
For the first time, you can cover fresh stitches with a sterile gauze pad, securing with a band-aid, but in most cases this is not required.
Healing process
In order for the treatment to proceed quickly and effectively, the specific site of the injury must be taken into account. A healing lip incision is constantly exposed to various influences, because in most cases a person cannot provide absolute immobility to fresh sutures. The wound is anxious during a conversation or eating, therefore, at least for the first couple of days, speech rest and a diet that does not require active chewing movements are recommended. This is especially true if the dissection is accompanied by trauma to the gums and dentition.
Child's split lip
If an adult is injured, it is somewhat easier to bear. But the child at such a moment is more frightened, can scream, involuntarily aggravating the problem - in a cry, the mouth opens wide, the lips tighten and the dissection receives additional negative effects. Therefore, the baby first of all needs to be reassured, consoled, persuadedbe patient.
What to do when a child cuts a lip and is it worth self-medicating? Even if it seems to you that this is a minor injury, it is better to consult a doctor. Parents are responsible for the child, and it is better to play it safe. It is important to remain calm and confident, because panicking adults only aggravate the condition of an already frightened baby.
Otherwise, the treatment process follows the same rules as in adults, except that you should carefully monitor the cleanliness of the wound, especially in small children.
Possible misconceptions and complications
Any damage to the face seriously spoils the appearance and attracts unnecessary attention, so all victims are concerned about how long the cut of the lip heals. If there was no inflammation, then after a few days it will be possible to notice a significant improvement. The exact timing depends on the severity of the damage.
Infection in the wound exacerbates the problem. The inflammatory process begins, the gap can “turn out”. Redness of the surrounding tissues and swelling, accumulation of purulent exudate - if all of the above symptoms are observed, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate drugs. However, at the same time, fibrin plaque is taken as a sign of inflammation, which should not be cleaned or washed away.
Caring for the wound is actually very simple. You need to try not to disturb the fresh seam, and Levomekol ointment, which has weak antibacterial properties, is perfect for softening. Dry with alcoholsolutions are not worth it, they can provoke the formation of a rough scab, which, contrary to common misconceptions, does not contribute to a quick recovery.
