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This factsheet contains information that you and your family or carers may find useful after your injury.

Most facial wounds, such as burns or abrasions can be managed at home without the use of dressings. This is mainly due to the difficulty of ensuring that the dressing stays in place and remains clean. 

Wound healing is optimised in a warm, moist and clean environment, in the absence of dressings this can be more difficulty, therefore the following advice helps to achieve optimal healing for your wound/s.

Hand Washing:

In hospital we wear gloves when performing wound care to minimize risk of transferring infection from patient to patient. We also perform hand washing before and after these tasks to further reduce cross infection risk. 
At home there is no need for you to wear gloves when washing your wounds. You should however ensure you wash your hands thoroughly with hand soap and water before and after performing wound care.

Wound Cleaning: 

  • 3 – 4 times throughout the day or anytime the wounds become soiled, for example if the wound is around the mouth and becomes soiled when eating. 
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. 
  • Maintain a clean environment during wound cleaning. 
  • Wash the cut using cool water to gently remove dirt or debris to prevent an infection. 
  • Apply a thin layer of soft yellow paraffin (ointment) to the wound every 1 – 2 hours –this is an oil-based moisturiser that provides a moist barrier against infection and dirt and retains the warmth on the wound bed.

Wound Swelling:

Wounds naturally swell for the first 3 – 5 days following an injury. To reduce this, it is advised that you sleep with your head slightly elevated as lying flat can cause increased swelling. 

Face Cleaning Procedure: 

  1. If required (and not contra-indicated) take simple painkillers for example paracetamol and Ibuprofen approximately 30 – 45 mins prior to face care taking place – this helps  reduce pain. 
  2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. 
  3. Maintain a clean environment during wound cleaning. 
  4. Fill a clean bowl with warm water. 
  5. Take a piece of gauze and wet in the water.
  6. Wipe wounds firmly, ensuring you remove the yellow paraffin and any contaminants. Underneath the wounds should appear pink and clean. You may need several pieces of gauze to clean all areas.
  7. When cleaning around the eyes use a separate piece of gauze for each eye and wipe from the nose outwards. 
  8. Wounds in or around the ears should be cleaned in the same way. It is not advisable to use cotton buds in the ear or to apply paraffin inside of the ear as this increases the risk of infection to this area.
  9. During cleaning loose or blistered skin may come off. This is beneficial to the wound and will help the healing process.
  10. During wound cleaning, the wound may bleed – don’t worry as this is a sign of healthy tissue. Gently apply some pressure to the wound and the bleeding will stop.
  11. Once cleaning is complete, dry the wounds with a dry piece of gauze. 1
  12. Reapply yellow paraffin thinly to all wounds.
  13. In between cleaning, remember to reapply the yellow soft paraffin if the wound starts to dry out (approximately every 1 – 2 hours).

Risk of Infection:

Most wounds heal with no problems at all. A small minority of wounds do get infected. Signs of an infected wound include:

  •  Increasing and spreading redness around the wound
  •  Increasing pain or discomfort

If you have any of the following symptoms or if you have any concerns prior to your next wound review, contact your GP or reattend the Emergency Department for a review:

  • You have a temperature greater than 38.0°C.
  • You have a spreading deep redness around the wound. 
  • You have any pus coming from the wound.
  • You have a generalised rash on the body.
  • You have vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
  • You have increased pain that is not resolved with simple analgesia such as Paracetamol.

If you have any further concerns, seek advice from your GP, Call NHS 111 or visit https://111.nhs.uk/

 

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Emergency department (ED) service.

About this information

Service:
Emergency department (ED)

Reference:
A/011

Approval date:
1 October 2023

Review date:
1 October 2026

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Important note 

This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.