How to Heal an Infected Wound

Everyone gets a scrape once in a while. Whether you fall down the stairs, trip on a stone or cut yourself by accident, that wound is prone to infection. This is especially true if it's not treated properly to begin with. Always wash a fresh cut with water, apply an anti-scarring treatment and cover it with a bandage. If, however, you still get an infected wound, treating it promptly is absolutely imperative.

Things You'll Need

• Running water
• Wash cloth
• Dressing bandages
• Antibiotics

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Instructions

• 1

  Rinse your infected wound with warm, running water. Use a moderate water pressure directly over the wound and let the water run for a few minutes.

• 2

  Pat dry the wound with a clean, dry washcloth. Don't scrub it dry or apply too much pressure. Simply let the washcloth absorb the excess water, then let the rest of the water dry.

• 3

  Wrap the infected area with dressing bandages. You can purchase these bandages from a pharmacy or the medical section of your supermarket. The bandages work in two ways--they protect your wound from getting further infected and work toward healing the infection.

• 4

  Change the bandages as needed throughout the day. Your doctor may suggest changing them at certain intervals. If you're self-treating, make sure to remove and replace the bandages at least once a day and more than that if the wound is leaking fluids.

• 5

  Visit a doctor if your wound is still not healing properly. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics that speed up the healing process.