Even though serious wounds require immediate medical attention, minor scrapes can be managed with various remedies at home. As long as the wound does not spurt bright red blood or contain dirt and debris that can be cleaned, it is best to care for it at home.
Before attempting to use any self-treatment, wash and dry the cut to minimize the risk for infection and scarring. A doctor should be consulted if the scrape does not respond to any home remedies.
Honey
A usual home remedy that can be used for scrapes is honey. All you have to do is apply a dab of honey on the scrape. The consistency of honey serves as a barrier to moisture while its antibacterial properties appear to fight off infections. Make sure that the scrape is clean and dry first and then coat the wound using a thin layer of honey. After the application, allow to air-dry.
Herbal poultices
You can manage cuts and scrapes from outdoor activities using common wild plants. Yarrow and plantain leaves contain astringent properties that help close the wound as well as stop the bleeding. These can also help disinfect the wound and have mild pain-killing properties.
You can improvise a poultice by chewing plantain or yarrow leaves to release their healing compounds. Apply them thickly over the scrape and leave in place for several minutes. For a longer-lasting poultice, you can bring a handful of leaves indoors and blend with 2 tablespoons of water, 2 drops of lavender and a drop of tea tree essential oil. Apply this herbal paste over the scrape and cover using a clean gauze bandage.
Aloe vera
You can keep an aloe vera plant in the kitchen to easily manage cooking burns. The healing gel present in the fleshy leaves of the plant also works well in managing scrapes. After cleaning the scrape, all you have to do is slice open an aloe vera leaf and squeeze the gel onto the skin and spread it over the entire scrape.
Just like honey, aloe vera gel works by preventing moisture or debris from entering the wound. This also provides pain relief and even hastens the healing process. You can utilize fresh leaves for reapplication several times in a day while the scrape heals.
Sugar and petroleum jelly
Oozing scrapes or open wounds can be managed with a combination of petroleum jelly and sugar. By using sugar, it takes away the nutrients required by the germs to thrive in a scrape, thus dealing with infection as well as helping with the healing.
The petroleum jelly works by holding the sugar in place. Apply the petroleum jelly over the edges of the wound and dab the sugar directly on the scrape. Secure a bandage over the scrape and repeat the process at least once a day with more sugar and petroleum and a fresh bandage.
Cayenne pepper
Even though the idea of utilizing cayenne pepper on a scrape sounds painful, it is actually the opposite as long as the scrape is a minor one. Take note that cayenne pepper essentially helps scrapes and reduces the pain.
Capsaicin is present in all hot peppers helps prevent the brain from receiving the “pain messages”. This also helps hasten the healing process. You have to dab pepper over the scrape and wipe off after a few moments. Avoid pouring cayenne pepper into an open wound.