How long for a cut to heal?

Skin Care article posted on Jan 18, 2009 by Josephine Toulemonde, Digestive Care Advisor & Optiderma Founding member

How long it takes for a cut to heal has no definite answer because it depends on many factors and each individual. It can take from several days to a few years. However, if you do the right things from the beginning, you should be able to speed the healing process and avoid permanent scarring if possible. Here are some pieces of advice for the quickest way to heal a cut.

How long for a cut to heal?
What to do first to speed healing a cut?
Best ways to heal cuts naturally...
Useful links

How long for a cut to heal?

Time for healing a cut is variable. It mainly depends on:

The size of the cut. If it is too deep and large, stitches may be needed otherwise the cut won't heal well on its own.
If there is an infection that is going to slow down the healing.
On the person. Some people are faster healers than others...
Other health problems. For example, diabetes and obesity are common causes of slow wound healing.
Age. See this study: Wound healing time increases with age (Wellsphere.com)
Location of the cut. Areas that move or are more sensitive require more time to heal.

Light cuts usually heal in about a week. However there is not definite answer and it could take much more time even for a minor cut.

What to do first to speed healing a cut?

First, do the right thing from the beginning to increase your chance of healing faster. This means evaluate the severity of the injury. Medical treatment is required when:

There are still remaining debris that could infect the wound.
The cut doesn’t stop bleeding.
It is deep and large.
An infection ensues.
The cut is located on sensitive skin.

In any case, it is important to focus on reducing the bleeding and avoiding infection as soon as possible to speed the healing process:

Apply pressure on the cut to stop the bleeding.
Wrap a cloth or a compress around it (this cloth should be absorbent and sterile – at least clean).
Continue to apply pressure on the cut with your hand.
Raise the injured part above the level of the heart. It reduces bleeding.
When the bleeding is controlled, apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel until it begins to feel numb. This helps constrict blood vessels.
Take some arnica pills to stop excessive bleeding and speed healing. Homeopathy is a safe remedy to use for everyone.

Best ways to heal cuts naturally...

In case of minor cut:
Ensure the wound is clean before application of any external treatments. Washing the wound well with soap and water – at least for several minutes.
If you’ve got garlic (to fight infection), or turmeric (to stop bleeding) at home, you could apply one of these home remedies on the wound and bandage it.

How to heal a cut with herbal remedies

To accelerate healing, there are herbs like Comfrey and Gotu Kola. Aloe Vera gel is also often used to soothe the pain. Bayberry, Goldenseal, Echinacea, Chamomile, Calendula gel, St John’s Wort Oil fight bacterial infection.

It is advisable to protect cuts with a bandage if there is a major risk of infection and irritation. Otherwise open air is better for quicker healing. The wound should be always be clean but don’t use chemical soap because you don’t want it to dry out.

How to support healing with nutrition

Eat vitamin rich, fresh, raw vegetables and fruits. They provide enzymes to boost your immune system. Dark green and orange vegetables contain beta-carotenes, which are important to speed up healing.

Limit dairy products, sugar and white flour, since they slow down tissue regeneration.

As for supplementation:

Vitamin C, Bioflavanoids, and Vitamin A to promote healing and fight infection.
Vitamin E (internal and external) to help prevent scars.

Useful links

Cuts (healthlinkbc.ca)
Cuts and lacerations (emedicinehealth.com)
How stitches help kids heal (Kidshealth.com)
Ask an expert: Average healing time for wounds (netwellness.org)

According to your own experience, tell us how long it took for your cut to heal!

Comments from the community (8)

"SD" on 2010-07-02 at 16:30:21

My daughter cut her hand in between her fingers. She is five. the wound was small but deep and the doctor closed it with dermabond. When I changed the gauze and tape she cried and I am having a hard time telling if she is scared or if she is in pain. The cut looks good, no redness or swelling. I wondered if I should give her something for pain.

"use this" on 2010-05-12 at 05:28:05

liquid bandage

"kezrama" on 2010-05-10 at 21:00:18

i scraped the top of my hand a week ago and it still hasnt healed. it was a clean minor looking cut but seems to look worse now. its all reda round the outside and the scab is coming off eventhough it isnt fully healed. im a bit worried it could be infected. my wounds have taken a long time to heal in the past i wonder is there a vitamin dificiency or something that stops wounds from healing well?

"Josephine" on 2010-05-10 at 00:00:00

As I am not a Doctor, I can't give you any diagnosis. The best thing to do is really to show your cut to a doctor if you suspect an infection or if it takes a really long time to heal. Signs of infection usually include red skin around the wound, discharge containing pus, swelling, warmth, foul odor, and fever. Many things can slow down the healing process. Infection is a big one, but it could also be due to poor circulation, diabetes, a vitamin deficiency as you are mentioning (like vitamin C or E). You can also read this article: poor/slow wound healing (http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C233696.html). They are also talking about zinc and EFA deficiencies.

"pseudo" on 2010-05-05 at 10:13:11

i got a deep cut beside my toe..i think i can see my flesh..i've seen a doctor..and he gave me some medicine..will it heal?im worried

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