You might consider cuts, bumps, scraped knees, and small burns just the standard battle wounds of daily life. However, any time you have an injury that creates a break in the skin, there is a potential for infection. Depending on your overall health and other factors, a simple skin infection could develop into something much more serious and even deadly if not properly treated.

If you are wounded, having your injury cleaned and treated by a medical professional can make all the difference in the world when it comes to your health. At Cardinal Urgent Care, we treat and dress all varieties of minor skin injuries to promote faster healing and reduce the risk of infection and further damage. Taking care of yourself and knowing when to turn to a medical professional is key to your overall quality of life.

Common Minor Wounds We Treat

At Cardinal Urgent Care, we can help you navigate the seriousness of any injuries you receive. Our expert urgent care providers administer high-quality care and treatment of minor skin injuries, including:

• Cuts. Minor cuts require that the wound be hydrated, sterilized, bandaged. In some cases, medication to treat infection and/or pain may be necessary.
• Scratches. Scratches are mild cuts that break the skin but don’t always bleed. These minor wounds still need to be cleaned and dressed, and antibiotic ointment may be recommended to prevent infection.
• Burns. Most minor burns can be treated with over-the-counter soothing gels or creams applied after cleaning the skin. However, chemical, electrical, or higher-degree burns may require more advanced medical attention to ensure internal damage did not also occur along with the burn.

Do I Need Stitches?

Sutures, commonly referred to as stitches, can help more serious cuts by bringing the edges of the skin injury together to facilitate faster healing. Stitches help the body’s natural healing process by holding everything together, which also can help prevent infection.

Whether you need stitches can best be determined by a medical professional, based on the size and location of the skin injury, how much bleeding is present, the risk of further injury, and other factors such as your overall health or presence of underlying conditions.

Should you require stitches, the process involves using a local anesthetic to numb the affected area and a suture being threaded through the skin. Sometimes the stitches dissolve or fall out on their own – other times, you may need to return to the clinic to have the stitches removed.

Wound Care in King, NC

If you have a cut, scrape, or minor burn you think may need medical attention, do not hesitate to contact the Cardinal Urgent Care office at (336) 983-9111 or simply walk in during our normal business hours. We look forward to helping you with all your urgent care needs, including the care and treatment of minor skin injuries.