The wound should heal itself in a few days. If the wound is painful, you can take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, you should not take ibuprofen if you have certain conditions, such as a stomach ulcer or asthma and children under the age of 18 should not take aspirin. Always check with a pharmacist before taking any medication.
If you are unsure how serious your injury is, or if it hasn’t healed after a few days, see your GP.
You should always seek medical advice if:
- The injury does not stop bleeding or is on a joint crease (go straight to an accident and emergency department if this is the case).
- The injury is very large or very deep.
- The injury was caused by a bite.
- There is embedded in the cut or scrape, e.g. a stone or a piece of grit.