Iodine *TRIGGER WARNING*

Taking Care of Your Self harm

(Keep in mind, I'm not a doctor, and I would advice speaking to an actual medical professional before taking this chapter to heart. Stay safe loves.)

Disinfecting/bandaging

•if the injury doesn't need stitches, dab a small amount of a disinfectant such as Neosporin around it.

•Avoid using alcohol, iodine, or hydrogen peroxide UNLESS there is an infection; while they're good at cleaning and disinfecting an area with undamaged skin, they're too harsh to be used for skin that has been damaged and can impede the healing process by attacking the healthy tissue inside of the wound as well as the bacteria that may be in it.

•Once you have applied the disinfectant, you can put a bandage over it. If the wound is too long for a regular bandage or if the edges of it don't want to stay together, you can use a butterfly closure.

 *Keeping the wound clean is as important to preventing infection as cleaning it the first time. If you think the wound has become dirty after being bandaged, you can remove the dressing and clean the area again*

Stopping bleeding

•Put pressure on the wound. Use something CLEAN and absorbent like a towel, clean shirt, pads, paper towels. Do not use toilet paper: It's meant to break down when wet and could get inside the wound.

•When applying pressure: don't remove the cloth until you're sure it has stopped bleeding or else it could remove the clotting. If you bleed through the cloth, add another on top.

•If it bleeds for 20+ minutes, the blood is dark red, or its spurting, get to a hospital ASAP.

•Ice the injury (over cloth). It helps slow the bleeding. Don't put ice directly onto skin, it could cause frostbite.

•If you feel dizzy, eat or drink something.

•Try removing the cloth if you know it isn't bleeding anymore. If you're scared it might bleed again after removal, gently rub the area with something damp to help loosen the cloth.

•Wash it gently with water or saline solution. DO NOT SCRUB.

•If it doesn't need stitches, then disinfectant and bandage it. 

*Tourniquets are not recommended for stopping bleeding except as absolutely last resorts: Tissue below a tourniquet will die within a few hours and can lead to needing amputation. Direct pressure should always be the first thing you try*

How to Determine If You Need Stitches

•If the area is numb or you have a decrease in your movement range, you should seek help immediately.

•If you see fatty tissue (yellowish, bumpy looking tissue in the wound), it's deep enough to get stitches, but they may not be completely necessary.

•If the edges of the injury can't be easily pinched closed, then you'll probably need stitches to keep it held together enough for it to heal.

•If there's a deep injury in an area where the skin will stretch or move around a lot, causing it to reopen, then it'll most likely need stitches to hold it together while it heals and keep it from reopening.

•If the cut does need stitches then it's best to put a butterfly closure over it and get to a hospital. Put one end onto each side of the cut to hold the edges together.

•You can get it stitched as long as about 8 hours after the injury. Sometimes in can be done anytime in under 24 hours in order to reduce scarring. In general, it's best to get stitches as soon as possible if you need them. 
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