So many small cuts and scrapes turn into big problems, ending in a trip to the doctor and a round of antibiotics, all because of infection. When you know how to care for a wound, you can help keep out infection and help the skin heal quickly. Here is the simple, natural way I care for wounds, plus my “owie” spray recipe you can make yourself.
When to See a Doctor
Natural care is great for everyday cuts and scrapes, but please get medical care for:
- Deep cuts, gaping wounds, or bleeding that will not stop after 10 minutes of pressure
- Animal or human bites, puncture wounds, or wounds with dirt or debris you can not clean out
- Wounds on the face or over a joint
- Signs of infection: spreading redness, red streaks, warmth, swelling, pus, fever, or pain that keeps getting worse
4 Steps to Keep Out Infection
1. Clean the Wound
First, rinse the wound well with clean running water to wash out dirt. Hydrogen peroxide can damage the healthy cells around a wound, so I do not use it. Instead I use ionic silver to clean and disinfect.
2. Close It If Needed
If it is a deeper cut that needs to be held together, put steri-strips on first, before any oils or ointments, so they will stick. After a couple of days you can remove them and keep applying ointment so it heals faster with less scarring.
3. Apply a Healing Ointment
Use an ointment, a healing salve, or helichrysum oil to help heal the tissue and nerves. You can use my owie spray below, a natural ointment like Correct-X, or a homemade healer’s salve.
4. Cover It and Change It Often
For wounds that do not need steri-strips, put on the ointment and a clean bandage. I keep bandages on during the day to keep wounds clean.
Here is the part you need to understand: a bandage that stays on too long, gets wet or gets dirty can trap bacteria and become like an incubator. So change your bandage at least once a day, and any time it gets wet or dirty. Each time, re-clean, re-apply your ointment, and put on a fresh bandage. I like to give small scrapes some air at night when no dirt can get into them. Keeping a wound clean and lightly moist with ointment helps it heal faster and scar less than letting it dry out and scab.
Recipe for My “Owie” Spray
- 1 small (1 oz) glass spray bottle
- Fractionated coconut oil
- 10 drops frankincense oil
- 10 drops lavender oil
- 10 drops melaleuca (tea tree) oil
- 5 drops helichrysum oil
Add the essential oils to the bottle first. Then fill the rest of the bottle with fractionated coconut oil and shake. Spray on wounds throughout the day and before bed.
Tips: For little kids, use half the amount of essential oils. Use the spray on minor cuts and scrapes, not on deep wounds, and keep it away from eyes. Stop using it if the skin gets red or irritated.
Shop
- Correct-X
- Frankincense oil
- Helichrysum oil
- Lavender oil
- Melaleuca oil
- Small spray bottle
- Fractionated coconut oil
With these simple steps you can keep out infection, heal faster, and avoid a lot of unnecessary trips to the doctor. Want more natural first aid? See my Mommy Hero Tutorial and Protocol.
This post shares my own experience and is not medical advice. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
