Butterfly Bandages: Effective Wound Closure & Scar Prevention

As if suffering a cut is not painful enough, cuts are highly susceptible to infection and dryness. That is why it is vital that you treat a cut immediately after it happens. The final step in wound care is to bandage the cut. There are many bandages from which you can choose. The butterfly bandage is designed specifically to hold the skin together on each side of a cut. Forcing the skin together encourages the cut to seal and also minimizes scarring.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Washcloth
• Sterilizing solution (betadine, iodine)
• Topical ointment
• Cotton ball
• Butterfly bandage

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Instructions

• 1

  Rinse the cut with warm water. Pat the area dry with a washcloth.

• 2

  Squeeze a sterilizing liquid into a cotton ball. Pat the area thoroughly with the damp cotton ball. Give it a moment to dry.

• 3

  Squeeze a small bead of topical ointment onto your finger. Rub it on the cut to promote healing and pain relief. Do not spread the ointment all around the toe. Limit your application so that the ointment does not impede the bandage adhesive from sticking to your skin.

• 4

  Remove the paper back from the butterfly bandage.

• 5

  Line the narrow center of the bandage up with your cut. Hold the bandage by the ends. Make a U-shape with the bandage by moving your fingers together. Lay the narrow portion of the bandage on the cut. Affix the rest of the bandage by smoothing it outward from the center.