What should I know about scars and wounds?

ACS Answer

A wound is a physical injury to the body. The wound may be underneath the skin, may affect only the skin surface, or may involve both. Wounds can be caused by a surgical incision, a fall or accident, tumor growth, or side effects of radiation therapy. Proper wound care is important to ensure healing and prevent infection. Scars are healed wounds.

What to look for

• Redness or purple bruising of skin
• Scaly, broken skin (see the section on skin sores)
• Swelling
• Pain

What to do

• Wash hands well before and after changing the wound dressing.
• Be very careful when removing the dressings.
• If the wound is bleeding, wash it well and apply pressure with a cool cloth or ice pack. When the bleeding stops, continue to change the dressing.
• Wash the wound as instructed by the nurse or doctor.
• Unless you were given different directions, wash the wound daily with soap and water, rinse well, and pat it and the skin surrounding it dry.
• Always keep the wound clean.
• If possible, use paper tape.
• Do not place tape directly on skin. Use a type of "skin prep" solution, or wrap gauze over the bandage and then tape the gauze.
• Eat citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, meat, fish, and eggs. They contain vitamins and minerals that help promote wound healing.

Do not 

• Allow the wound to get dirty
• Clean the wound without washing your hands first
• Rub the wound, especially when cleaning it
• Apply tape directly onto skin, if possible
• Re-use dressings
• Try to remove scabs

Call the doctor about any of the following symptoms

• If wound bleeds for 15 minutes or more
• If wound appears very red around edges and is swollen
• If you feel excessive pain at wound site
• If the wound smells foul
• If a greenish liquid oozes out of the wound
• If fever rises to 100.5°F (taken by mouth)

Related Resources

Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.

Recommended Consultation

You should consider discussing this question with your doctor or health care team.

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