When to Go to Urgent Care for a Cut

A cut refers to a skin wound where none of the skin is missing. It’s usually caused by a sharp, penetrating object. Cuts may or may not bleed, but they’re easy to see and, therefore, to diagnose.

At Mercy Medical Urgent Care, Dr. Bilal Khoder and our staff treat abrasions, lacerations, and puncture wounds at our Lake City, Florida, office. 

Because cuts are so common, you may not know when it’s appropriate to go to urgent care for medical attention, so we’re taking this opportunity to get you in the know.

What are some different types of cuts, and how do they occur?

With a cut, the epidermis (top layer of skin) separates from the dermis (the layer underneath). If the cut is particularly deep, both layers separate.

Cuts are usually caused by a sharp object or an impact with another object. However, more severe cuts, called lacerations, can be caused by blunt force trauma.

A cut can be smooth or jagged in appearance. If it’s near the surface of the skin, it may not bleed much, if at all. If it’s a deep cut, it may bleed a lot, and it can affect other structures, such as muscles, tendons, blood vessels, ligaments, and even bone.

Anyone can get a cut – it’s one of the most common types of injuries. However, some people are at higher risk, including:

• Older people whose skin thins with age
• People with very dry skin, which splits easily
• People who’ve been on steroid medication for a long time
• People with poor nutrition and/or hydration, making the skin vulnerable

If the cut is caused by a pointed object, it’s referred to as a puncture wound, and it’s usually deep.

Can I treat a cut at home?

If you have a relatively small cut and it’s not bleeding much, you can perform first aid at home.

Start by washing your hands with soap or an antibacterial cleanser to prevent infection. Next, wash the cut with mild soap and water. Don’t assume that there’s no dirt or debris in the wound just because you can’t see it.

Then, apply direct pressure to the cut to stop any bleeding. Finally, apply an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment and a clean bandage that won’t stick to the wound.

When should I go to urgent care for a cut?

If the cut is very wide or deep (more than one-quarter of an inch or 0.64 cm), you should go to urgent care to ensure that no other structures were damaged in the injury. It’s also important to seek medical attention if you have an object or visible debris in the cut.

Other reasons to go to urgent care include:

• You can’t stop the bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure
• You can’t feel the injured area
• You’ve been bitten by a human or animal
• The cut was caused by a fishhook or rusty object
• The cut shows signs of infection
• You haven’t had a tetanus shot within the last 10 years

Infection may appear as warmth and redness in the cut, a lot of pain in the area, swelling, a fever, red streaks around the cut, or pus oozing from it.

Our Mercy Medical Urgent Care staff will clean the cut, remove any foreign objects, stitch it if it’s very wide or deep, and treat any infection present with an antibiotic.

If you have a cut and you aren’t sure whether or not to go to urgent care, err on the side of caution and come into Mercy Medical Urgent Care as soon as possible — we’re open seven days a week. Walk in, or give us a call at 386-758-2944 to schedule.