The best thing you can do is to go to a hospital and get it taken care of, best recommendation! It's too late now to get it stitched, but they can get it cleaned up real well and maybe give you something to help fight the risk of infection. At the very least, keep it covered and clean.
Changing a dressing
Before you start, make sure you have gauze pads, surgical gloves, surgical tape, a plastic bag, and scissors. Then:
- Prepare supplies by opening the gauze packages and cutting new tape strips.
- Put on surgical gloves.
- Loosen the tape around the old dressing.
- Remove the old dressing.
- Remove the surgical gloves. At this point, you may want to clean the incision. (See instructions below.)
- Wash your hands and put on another pair of surgical gloves.
- Inspect the incision for signs of infection.
- Hold a clean, sterile gauze pad by the corner and place over the incision.
- Tape all four sides of the gauze pad.
- Put all trash in the plastic bag, including gloves.
- Seal plastic bag and throw it away.
- Wash your hands.
Cleaning an incision
To clean the incision:
- Gently wash it with soap and water to remove the crust.
- Do not scrub or soak the wound.
- Do not use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or mercurochrome, which can harm the tissue and slow wound healing.
- Air-dry the incision or pat it dry with a clean, fresh towel before reapplying the dressing.
Check the wound daily to check for signs of infection.
Signs of an infection, such as: - A yellow or green discharge that is increasing.
- A change in the odor of the discharge.
- A change in the size of the incision.
- Redness or hardening of the surrounding area.
- The incision is hot to the touch.
- Fever.
- Increasing or unusual pain.
- Excessive bleeding that has soaked through the dressing.