Wound Types and Care

In 2020, Healthwick added a new lineup of wound care products to our online store. With this new category addition, we thought it might be a good idea to look at different wound types and treatments, as well as explore definitions related to wounds and wound care.

What are Wounds?

A wound is typically an injury that breaks the skin or tissue and causes harm to the body. There are open and closed wounds, both can range from being quite minor to very severe. There are different types of wounds, with each often requiring a different treatment method. Some examples of wound types are abrasions, lacerations, crushing injuries, burns, brusines, punctures, chronic wounds, incisions, and more. We’ll look at some of these wound types more in depth below.

What are Some Types of Wounds?

There are many different types of wounds, and definitions tend to differ when it comes to some injury types. Below are six common wound types with explanations. If you have further questions about wound types and treatments, we suggest you reach out to your healthcare professional. 

Lacerations

• A laceration is cut or a tear in the skin. Lacerations are not always clean cuts, they can be jagged, irregular or messy. They are usually caused by a tearing, or sometimes crushing force. These types of wounds can often be quite deep, the nature of the injury usually causes damage to the surrounding tissue and has the potential to bleed excessively. Lacerations are not incisions, these are two different types of wounds.

Abrasions

• An abrasion is a wound where the skin has been scraped, grazed or rubbed causing damage. Abrasions often require proper cleaning to avoid infection, as the cause of the injury is not usually clean. An example of an abrasion would be falling on loose ground or gravel causing a scraping to the skin. Abrasions can be minor but they also have the potential to be quite severe. 

Burns

• Burns can occur for a variety of reasons. Exposing the skin to heat or chemicals can cause a burn, as can friction, electricity, and more. The sun can also cause burns due to overexposure. Burns can range from being minor to severe, measured in first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. Burns can damage both the skin and tissue, depending on the severity.

Punctures

• A puncture is a type of wound caused by an object that is sharp and pointed, such as a nail. Puncture wounds can often be severe if they are deep enough to damage internal organs as well as skin and tissue. Puncture wounds may or may not bleed a lot, making it difficult to determine the severity of the injury. Tetanus is a valid concern when it comes to puncture wounds. 

Chronic Wounds

• Chronic wounds are wounds that have not healed and show little to no healing progress within a normal timeframe. There are multiple factors that can cause chronic wounds, including improper treatment. A few examples of chronic wounds are pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, and more. If you believe you have a chronic wound, you should see medical attention.

Surgical Wounds

• Surgical wounds are incisions or cuts made to the skin during surgery by a medical professional (surgeon). These wounds are usually made by a scalpel. While most surgical wounds are closed with sutures after the surgery is finished, sometimes wounds can be left open to heal. It is important to follow the care directions from your healthcare professional, and keep the wounded area clean to avoid infection. 

What is Wound Care?

As the name suggests, wound care is the management and/or treatment of a wound. Wound care products are used to care for and promote the healing of a wound. There are many different types of wound care products, each with their own functions. A few examples of wound care products are dressings, bandages, tapes, wound cleaning and closure products. Below is a list including specific types of dressings, bandages, and more.

Dressings

• Alginate Dressings, Adhesive and Non-Adhesive Dressings, Composite Dressings, Hydrocolloid Dressings, and Silicone Foam Dressings are examples of some types of dressings. 

Bandages

• Adhesive, Non-Adhesive and Compression bandages are examples of a few types of bandages.

Other Items

• Other wounds care items include non-cloth and cloth tapes, gauze, sponges, eye patches, wound cleaning and wound closure products. 

These products are all available on our Healthwick Website. For information on how to properly care for and treat wounds, we suggest you speak to your healthcare professional. 

Other Things to Remember...

• Just because a wound isn’t bleeding much, doesn’t mean it isn’t severe. Bleeding can occur both externally and internally.
• First-aid kits should be accessible at all times. Ensure you keep one in places where you frequently are (i.e. in your car, home, workplace, cottage). 
• Wound care products should be used as directed by your healthcare professional. The information in this article cannot replace the care and advice that a medical professional can provide. Seek medical attention if you are injured or wounded.

Have any questions? Get in touch with our Healthwick customer care team. They’ll be able to answer any questions you may have, and provide product advice and guidance.