How to Bandage a Cut Without a Band-Aid

A cut still needs protection, even if it's not gushing blood. Covering your wound, no matter how small, prevents bacteria, dirt and other irritants from delaying the healing process. A Band-Aid serves this purpose well, but you don't always have one on hand. Don't panic, bandaging your cut without a Band-Aid isn't difficult, it just requires a bit more ingenuity. A successful bandage simply creates a barrier between your healing cut and the outside world.

Things You'll Need

• Antibacterial soap
• Paper towel
• Gauze
• Antibacterial ointment
• Surgical tape
• Scissors

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Instructions

• 1

  Clean the cut gently with antibacterial soap and cool water. This will remove any grit or debris lodged inside the cut.

• 2

  Dry the wound using a clean paper towel.

• 3

  Dab a pea-sized amount of antibacterial gel over the cut surface of the skin. The gel promotes cell renewal and growth while staving off infection.

• 4

  Place a 1/2-inch thick piece of gauze over the cut. Combine multiple pieces of gauze to achieve this thickness if necessary.

• 5

  Tape the gauze to the skin using four strips of surgical tape. Cut each piece approximately a 1/2 inch longer than the gauze. For example, if each side of the gauze and plastic bandage measures 2 inches, cut the tape strips at 2 1/2 inches. Overlap the tape strips at the corners for extra security.

• 6

  Change bandage by repeating this process every 24 hours.