Wound healing
When you get a cut or a scrape, your body tries to fix it by making new skin grow over it. This is called wound healing. Your body does this on its own without you needing to tell it what to do.
Wound healing has three stages:
1. Inflammation: When you get a cut, your body sends lots of blood and special cells to the area to protect it from germs. This causes the area to become red, warm, and swollen. It might hurt too. This stage can last for a few hours to a few days.
2. Proliferation: After the inflammation stage, your body works to create new skin cells to cover the cut or scrape. Your body makes a scab to protect the area while new skin grows underneath. The new skin is pink and tender at first because it hasn't hardened yet. This stage lasts for about three to four days.
3. Remodeling: As the new skin continues to grow and thicken, the scab falls off. The new skin will be the same color as the rest of your skin and the wound will look less obvious. Over time, the skin will continue to strengthen and heal. This stage can take weeks or even months.
It's important to keep your wound clean while it's healing. You can wash it with soap and water and cover it with a bandage. This helps keep germs out and helps your body heal faster. Sometimes, wounds need extra help to heal, like stitches or medicine. If you're not sure what to do, it's always a good idea to ask an adult for help.
Wound healing has three stages:
1. Inflammation: When you get a cut, your body sends lots of blood and special cells to the area to protect it from germs. This causes the area to become red, warm, and swollen. It might hurt too. This stage can last for a few hours to a few days.
2. Proliferation: After the inflammation stage, your body works to create new skin cells to cover the cut or scrape. Your body makes a scab to protect the area while new skin grows underneath. The new skin is pink and tender at first because it hasn't hardened yet. This stage lasts for about three to four days.
3. Remodeling: As the new skin continues to grow and thicken, the scab falls off. The new skin will be the same color as the rest of your skin and the wound will look less obvious. Over time, the skin will continue to strengthen and heal. This stage can take weeks or even months.
It's important to keep your wound clean while it's healing. You can wash it with soap and water and cover it with a bandage. This helps keep germs out and helps your body heal faster. Sometimes, wounds need extra help to heal, like stitches or medicine. If you're not sure what to do, it's always a good idea to ask an adult for help.
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