How to Clean a Wound on Your Face

Minor Cuts and Scrapes

Wash your hands with soap and water before doing anything else. Get your hands wet and squirt a dollop of antibacterial soap into your hands. Wring your hands and lather up for at least 20 seconds before rinsing the soap off under running water. This will keep you from transferring bacteria from your hands to the wound, which can lead to an infection. If you’ve just been injured and you haven’t seen a doctor yet, go see one as quickly as you can. There are lots of sensitive and vital areas on your face, and a doctor should take a look if it’s anything other than some small surface damage. If your hands aren’t dirty, you can clean your hands with a 60% alcohol-based hand gel in a pinch.

Stop the bleeding by holding a clean cloth over the wound if necessary. If the wound is actively bleeding, grab a clean cloth and fold it over as needed to make it a little thicker. Hold the cloth over the wound and apply a light amount of pressure to the wound to suppress the bleeding. If the wound isn’t bleeding a lot and it stops after a few minutes, go ahead and move on. If there’s a moderate amount of blood, hold the cloth in place for 15 minutes to give it time to stop. If you’re using a thin cloth and the blood soaks through, swap the cloth out and replace it. Bleeding typically stops on its own after 15 minutes of pressure. It’s okay if blood trickles a little bit for an additional 45 minutes. If the bleeding won’t stop after that, see a doctor immediately.

Rinse the wound for 5-10 minutes with water or a damp cloth. Turn some lukewarm or cool water on at a sink and gently rinse the wound for a few minutes. If the facial wound is in a location where you can’t hold it under a slow stream of water, grab a clean cloth and soak it under the water. Wipe the area repeatedly to brush and debris or contaminants out of the wound. Don’t worry if the wound is a little sensitive at this point. So long as you aren’t in any serious pain, it’s okay. If you feel any intense pain or your face feels numb, see a doctor immediately.

Remove any small debris or foreign objects with tweezers if necessary. If you see any pebbles or dirt in the cut or scrape and they’re sitting on the surface of the wound, grab a set of tweezers and look in a mirror. Carefully and gently remove each object that’s stuck in the skin without irritating the wound. If you can’t remove an object or it appears to be deeply embedded in your skin, see a doctor. Do not attempt to remove any large objects that won’t come out of the wound.

Treat the wound with an antibiotic cream for the first 2 days. If the wound is fresh, grab an antibiotic cream or ointment, like Polysporin. Spread a thin layer of your antibiotic over your wound after you clean it. This will keep bacteria out while the wound begins to heal. Avoid touching the wound directly if you can; just brush the cream or ointment on in light layers without rubbing the skin.

Protect the wound with an adhesive bandage while it heals. Get a non-stick adhesive bandage that’s large enough to cover the wound entirely. Peel off the adhesive backing and stick the bandage over your wound so that the damaged skin isn’t touching the sticky portion of the bandage. Non-stick adhesive bandages are not standard Band-Aids, although you can certainly use one of those if the cut or scrape is small and you don’t want a big bandage on your face. The non-stick adhesive bandages are thin pads that are less adhesive and more comfortable than standard bandages. You can find these in any pharmacy. For a fresh wound, replace the bandage and repeat the entire process the next day. After 2 days, you will stop using the antibiotic cream or ointment. You can use gauze if you really prefer, but gauze tends to stick to wounds as they heal. This can irritate the wound further whenever you replace the bandage. If the wound covers a round portion of your skin and you want to hold the wound together, use a butterfly bandage to cover the wound crosswise and hold the skin together. Try to find a bandage that matches the color of your skin if you don’t want it to stick out.

Wash the wound gently with antibacterial soap and water after 2 days. Peel the bandage off, squirt a dollop of antibacterial soap on a clean cloth, and get it wet. Then, gently blot the wound with the soapy cloth to clean the area and remove any bacteria. Blot the area dry when you’re done. If the wound is near your eyes, be extremely careful as you clean the surrounding skin. Keep your eye closed if you can and keep the soap out of your eyes. This is really important if you want to minimize the odds that your wound heals into a scar. You have to clean the wound every day until it’s entirely healed. Never use iodine or hydrogen peroxide to clean your wound. These products can damage your skin and prevent healing. You can do this in the shower if you want to keep things simple.

Cover the wound with a little petroleum jelly after washing it. Once 2 days have passed since the injury and you’re using soap to clean the wound, you no longer need to use an antibiotic ointment. Instead, rub a little petroleum jelly over the wound to keep the skin moist and protect the sensitive skin on your face. This will reduce the chances of a scar forming on your skin.

Replace the bandage every day to keep the wound clean and help it heal. Peel your bandage off every day, wash your hands, and clean the wound before replacing the bandage. Use antibiotic cream for the first 2 days, and antibacterial soap after that. Do your best to keep the wound dry and replace the bandage if it ever gets wet or dirty. See your doctor immediately if your wound becomes more painful, gets red or swollen instead of healing, leaks pus or blood after closing, or develops an unpleasant smell. You should also see a doctor if you develop a fever. Most minor cuts usually completely heal in 1 week or less. If the wound is still a little red after a few days, use a hydrogel or silicone gel sheet to keep the skin from being irritated by gauze or a bandage. To use one of these sheets, peel off the adhesive backing and stick it directly on top of the wound to keep air out and protect the skin. You can typically keep these sheets on for 2-3 days before changing them.

Surgical Wounds and Stitches

Keep the wound dry for 2 days unless you’ve been told otherwise. Surgical wounds need time to heal, so keep the area as dry as possible and don’t touch the bandage for at least 2 days. When it comes to surgical wounds, always follow your doctor’s instructions regarding caring for the wound. Different surgical wounds have different aftercare instructions. When in doubt, call your doctor. You typically can’t shower or bathe for at least 24 hours after a surgical procedure. Don’t use any cleaning products on or around the wound. You may not smell the best, but your wound needs time to heal! Don’t touch or mess with the wound. If you have stitches, don’t pull on them and avoid itching the area to give the wound time to heal.

Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and warm water. Squirt a dollop of antibacterial soap into your wet hands and wring them together for at least 20 seconds. Rinse all of the soapy water off. This will minimize the odds that you transfer bacteria from your hands to the wound. If your hands aren’t especially dirty, you can use a 60% alcohol-based hand gel instead.

Remove the dressing and don’t touch the dirty side. Your doctor likely told you to change the dressing after a few days. When removing the bandage, peel it off by and edge and do not touch the cotton pad or gauze that was resting against the wound. Take your time, work slowly, and don’t touch the wound. Moisten the dressing with clean water if it’s sticking to the wound to make it easier to remove. If you have stitches and they’re bandaged, do your best to avoid doing this if you can. If you do get stitches wet, gently blot the area dry with a clean cloth after you finish removing the bandage.

Replace the dressing per your doctor’s instructions and don’t touch it. When you put a new gauze pad or bandage on, do not touch the portion that’s going to rest directly against the wound, since this may transfer bacteria from your hands to the dressing. Carefully place the bandage or pad over the wound. Don’t worry if you feel a little awkward leaving a big bandage or pad on your face. You typically don’t need to leave surgical wounds covered for super long and you’ll be back to normal in no time! Gauze is most likely to stick to your wound or cause pain. If your doctor gives you a choice, opt for a hydrogel or soft silicone dressing to keep the wound from getting irritated. Some surgical wounds are meant to be left uncovered after the initial removal of the dressing. If your doctor told you to leave the wound uncovered, do that.

See a doctor immediately if you develop signs of an infection. Continue replacing the wound dressing as directed by your doctor and keep the area clean. Your wound should continue to heal every day. See a doctor immediately if your wound becomes painful, gets red or swollen, leaks pus or blood, or develops an unpleasant smell. If you need to return to the doctor to have stitches removed, make sure you show up to the appointment on time.

Burns

Rinse the area with cool water until any pain dissipates. If the minor burn hurts, rinse the wound continuously under a slow stream of cool water for 15-30 minutes. This will soothe the pain and wash any debris away. Do not use any ice, since this may damage the tissue surrounding the wound. Seek medical care immediately if the burn is especially deep or large, the skin appears dry and leathery, you have charred patches of white, brown or black skin, or if the burn is larger than 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter. Any minor redness or tiny burns can usually be treated at home. A blister may not require immediate medical care if it isn’t especially large. Still, some medical professionals suggest that you see a doctor if you develop a blister.

Wash your hands with soap to prevent infection or irritation. Get your hands wet. Squirt a dollop of antibacterial soap into your hands and rub them together for at least 20 seconds. Rinse the soapy water off. This will keep you from spreading bacteria to the burned skin. Use an unscented soap if you can to avoid irritating the sensitive skin on your face.

Pat the damaged skin dry with a clean cloth. Grab a clean cloth and fold it up as needed to make it thicker. Gently blot the skin with your cloth to soak up any excess water. Do not touch the skin directly with your hands—especially if you have a blister. Be extremely careful if you’ve burned the area around your eyes or ears. These areas are especially sensitive so just work slowly to avoid irritating the skin further. If your skin is blistering, do not intentionally pop the blisters. Don’t use any sprays, balms, or ointments on the skin if it’s broken.

Leave the burn be if the skin isn’t broken and you can take it easy. If you have a minor burn and the skin isn’t blistering, broken, or painful, let the wound air out. You typically don’t need to cover these wounds if you are unlikely to get the area dirty. Take it easy for a few days, don’t touch the skin, and let it heal on its own. Do not wear makeup while you’re waiting for your skin to heal. If you have facial hair and the burn isn’t on or near this part of your face, keep your hair shaved so that dead skin cells don’t get trapped in your beard or moustache. If you’re going to be running around or going to work while the wound heals, you can bandage the burn if you’d like to protect it from irritation.

Apply aloe vera to the burned skin if it blisters or hurts. If you have a blister or you’re actively in pain, spread a thin layer of aloe vera over the skin with the pad of your finger. This will keep the skin moist and reduce any pain you’re experiencing. If you saw a doctor for your burn and they prescribed lanolin or emollient ointment for your skin, use that instead. You typically don’t need any antibiotic creams or lotions for minor burns. Never use hydrogen peroxide to treat the wound. Don't use iodine, either, as it leads to problematic side effects.

Cover the burn loosely with a clean gauze bandage. Grab a sterile gauze bandage and spread it over the burned area. If you don’t have an adhesive gauze bandage, use medical tape to hold the gauze loosely in place. This will protect the skin and keep it from getting irritated as the wound heals. Hydrogel or silicone gel sheets are a great option if the skin is red. These bandages are less likely to cause irritation from friction. To apply one, peel off the adhesive backing and stick it directly to the skin. These are also a great option if you don’t want a giant piece of gauze standing out on your face. Regular adhesive bandages can rub against the skin, which can irritate it. Avoid using these for burns if you can.

Replace the bandage whenever it gets wet or dirty. Leave the bandage alone if it’s dry. So long as the burned skin stays covered, it’ll heal. Replace the bandage and reapply any aloe vera or prescription lotion as needed to reduce your pain. See a doctor immediately if you develop a fever, the burn starts leaking fluid, or the skin becomes painful and smelly. Avoid sleeping directly on the burned skin. Most minor burns will heal completely in 2 weeks or less. If it doesn’t heal in this time, you must see a doctor.