CUTS AND SCRAPES

It’s hard to image a better covering than your skin. It keeps you worm, holds your insides in, and keeps the outdoors out. It’s remarkably tough, and it even repairs itself when it gets worn or damaged. Just try to find another coat that does that!

Your skin may be tough, but it isn’t indestructible. A slip of a kitchen knife or a tumble off the curb can cut or tear through the protective layers. Given time, your skin will heal the damage-but in the meantime it hurts like crazy. What can you do?

For starters, of course, you have to stop the bleeding. Then you can take a few steps to speed healing and help the body’s natural defenses to their best work. Here’s what doctors recommend.

***********************************************************
WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR
It’s easy to treat most cuts and scrapes, but you need to see a doctor if there’s
a lot of bleeding or if the wound is taking a long time to heal. As a rule,
doctors recommend seeking emergency treatment if the blood is spurting
(which may mean an artery was cut) or if the wound seems unusually deep.
You should also see a doctor if the area gets red or swollen, or if there are
streaks of red extending away from the wound. You may need antibiotics to
stop an infection.
************************************************************

Stop the bleeding. The first thing you need to do for any cut or scrape is to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. Using a piece of gauze or even your hand, apply direct pressure to the wound for five or ten minutes. (If necessary, you can continue applying the pressure for up to thirty minutes). This will help the blood clot, which should stop the bleeding. If it doesn’t stop, you need to see a doctor right away.

Clean it well. Once the bleeding stops, it’s important to clean the area thoroughly to prevent an infection. Wash it well with soap and water for several minutes. Then apply an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection, and cover the wound with an adhesive bandage or a piece of clean, sterile gauze. The dressing should be snug, but not tight.

Let it breathe. Even though it’s always a good idea to wear to bandage to prevent infection, it’s also important to allow fresh air to reach the wound. Doctors often recommend leaving wounds uncovered, as long as they won’t be exposed to grit or anything else that will get inside.

Eat for healing. Your body consumes enormous amounts of nutrients when it’s in the midst of healing. Doctors recommend eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. These foods are rich sources of vitamin C and other compounds called bioflavonoids, which are known to speed wound healing. Foods especially high in these include kiwi, oranges, apples, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, pineapples, bananas, and grapefruits.

CORNS AND CALLUSES

We take our feet for granted, but they’re actually astonishingly complex. Each foot contains 26 bones, 100 ligaments, and 33 muscles, which work together in perfect harmony every time you take a single step.

But for all their complexity, our feet really weren’t designed for the modern world. They spend their days and night tightly encased in tennis shoes, sandals, or shiny black pumps. The constant friction causes skin on the feet to get thick and rough. In areas where they’re constantly being rubbed the wrong way, the skin can form tough bumps called corns and calluses. They’re really the same thing, although calluses are spread over a large area, while corns are quite a bit smaller.

Corns and calluses aren’t a serious health threat, but they can make your feet feel tired and sore. They’re also easy to get rid of. Here’s what you need to do.

Rub them away. Because corns and calluses are nothing more than thickened layers of skin, you can “erase” them by giving them a regular rubdown. After taking a bath or soaking your feet to soften the skin, gently rub the rough areas for a minute or two with a pumice stone or a foot file. Don’t try to get rid of the whole thing all at once. Just gently remove the upper layers of skin. If you do this every day for a few weeks, the corns and calluses will gradually disappear.

Wear them away with aspirin. Another way to remove hard calluses is to crush several aspirin, then add a little lemon juice and water to make a paste. Apply the paste to the rough spots, then cover your foot with a warm towel and wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag. After about ten minutes, remove the wrappings and gently rub the callus with the pumice stone. This treatment is very safe and effective. Don’t do it, however, if you’re allergic to aspirin.

Pad the problem areas. When corns and calluses are hurting, you can get fast relief by padding the sore spots with a little bit of moleskin padding, which is available in drugstores.

Save the stilettos for special occasions. You may love the look, but high heels won’t treat you well. Because of the design, high heels put a tremendous amount of pressure on the heels and the front of the feet. In fact, they’re one of the leading causes of corns and calluses. There’s nothing wrong with wearing high heels occasionally, but day-to-day you’re better off wearing flats with larger, rounded toes and comfortably padded soles.

************************************************************
WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR
Corns and calluses are rarely serious, but if your feet are extremely sore or
are getting numb, you need to call your doctor. In addition, if you have
diabetes or have poor circulation in your feet, don’t try to treat corns or
calluses yourself. See your doctor.
*************************************************************

Try a change of socks. If your socks don’t fit right they can rub against the skin with every step you take. Make sure your socks fit snugly and are thick enough to provide adequate cushioning. Once your socks begin to wear out, toss them out. Your feet will thank you for it.

Shop late in the day. Due to gravity, your feet naturally get larger as the day progresses. That’s why a pair of shoes can feel just right in the morning, but be painfully tight later on. Doctors recommend buying shoes in the afternoon, when your feet are at their maximum size. This way, you won’t buy shoes that are too small, which would make your feet susceptible to rubbing.