If, like myself, you frequently enjoy trampling in forests and repeatedly hitting trees with sharp slabs of steel, at one point or another you’re going to get a cut or two. Many of these will be no more than scrapes, tiny love bites from recently acquired folding knives or nature’s little reminders of the adventures you’ve had together. Other cuts, however, will be much more serious.
In this guide, I lay out the three most typical methods of dealing with minor injuries – stitches, bandages, and super glue – explaining when it is and isn’t appropriate to use them. Note that this guide is not in any way exhaustive. It is rather meant to give a brief overview of typical situations where stitches, bandages, or super glue may be helpful.
Note: If you get a cut and are at unsure of what to do, are worried about possible infection, or are concerned over it for any other reason, don’t hesitate: seek medical help.
Stitches
Do
- Any cut larger than 3/4 of an inch should be met with a visit to your local clinic for stitches as longer cuts frequently re-open through everyday activities. The longer the wound is open the higher the chance of infection.
- If you are capable of stitching yourself up, make sure the area is properly disinfected first, and make sure you use medical grade thread as well as sterile tools. Your environment needs to be sterile as well, otherwise you might have a serious case of infection on your hands.
- If you are immunocompromised in any way, go straight to a professional: do NOT do this at home.
- The scalp and the forehead have a lot of blood vessels. As a general rule, cuts on these parts of your body will require stitches to stop blood flow. Likely, you won’t be able to do these stitches for yourself, so it’s a good idea to engage the help of a trusted friend or go straight to a professional. Again, if you do these yourself or let someone else stitch you back up, make sure the environment and equipment used is medical grade and sterile.
- Needles + excess adrenaline tend to provide a perfect storm for accidents to turn into even bigger accidents. If you’re not sure about doing stitches yourself or getting a friend to do them for you, go to a professional.
Don’t
- Don’t get stitches if you have been bitten by a dog or other animal as the risk of infection is high. If you seek professional help, make sure you mention the fact that the cut came from an animal bite. In such a case, the vast majority of doctors would simply bandage the cut and prescribe antibiotics whilst keeping an eye on the healing for signs of infection.
- Do not use tissue adhesives (frequently used as a replacement/alternative for stitches) on wounds located on parts of your body that move a lot. Areas like the forehead and calf are fine, but the knee or elbow move way too much for tissue adhesives to be effective: the more movement, the more likely the tissue adhesive won’t create a tight seal (like sutures would).
Bandages
Do
Use bandages when facing abrasions instead of lacerations, for example in the case of a scraped knee.
- Even if you’re only bandaging, always clean the area well by irrigating with clean water, and using some sort of anti-bacterial agent like iodine or alcohol. Need more help with this step? Learn how to clean a wound properly here.
- If you suffered an avulsion, meaning that a large chunk of your skin has been ripped off, be very thorough when cleaning the area. Rush to your local clinic at the first sign of an infection, as infections can be serious.
Don’t
- Don’t cheap out with dollar store band-aids. There’s a reason the bigger (and much more expensive) brands are still in business: and it’s not just advertising. New advances in bandages feature breathable, yet waterproof material, as well as silver based ointments designed to reduce bacterial infection and encourage accelerated healing. Totally worth the extra few dollars you’d end up paying.
- Don’t use the same bandage for extended periods of time, as this creates the perfect environment for bacteria to develop. Change your bandages frequently, as you see fit.
Super Glue
Do
- Use super glue instead of bandages with shallow lacerations sub 3/4 of an inch in length, but only if the flow of blood is minor. Nicks and light cuts from sharp knives benefit from super glue over the use of band-aids, and usually heal completely overnight.
- Preferably, buy medical grade super glue like Vetbond. In my personal experience, Krazy Glue works fine also; I’ve had to use it quite a bit with the sheer number of cuts I get from testing out the volume of knives I own.
Don’t
- Don’t use a whole tub of super glue on your finger just because you got a papercut. Whilst superglue does inhibit bacterial growth, it also stops your skin from being able to breathe. Use as little as possible while still covering the entire cut and ensuring it isn’t likely to come off.
- Don’t use super glue as the answer for everything. If bleeding is persistent, don’t think more super glue will magically heal you back up. If the cut gets infected, the doctor in charge of cleaning you up will not be impressed with your dubious first aid skills.
- Don’t ever drown your wound in super glue, I am saying this twice because it bares repeating. It’s a horrible idea. Just enough glue to get the laceration shut.
- Do not use super glue if the cut might be infected. It’s a terrible idea. All you’d be doing is locking in the infection. If you even remotely suspect your cut might be infected, go see a professional.
- Don’t use super glue if the cut isn’t clean (i.e. if the cut is jagged or rough, don’t use super glue). If the skin is in any way torn, or if the cut started off as a puncture and then tore away, stitches may be the better option for aesthetic reasons. Super glue is only ideal for small cuts, like those you’d get from a folding knife, as super glue seals the wound quickly, and scars in those cases usually clean up nicely (mine are basically invisible). If your cut is not clean, however, the super glue might not bond the edges of the skin properly, which would typically result in a much larger than necessary scar.
Read more about using super glue for cuts here.
More First Aid Resources
When it comes to first aid, you need two important things to help you on your quest to keep yourself and those around you safe & healthy: knowledge and (to a lesser extent) supplies. To tackle the prior, take a look through our list of the top 22 emergency & survival first aid books and grab those that you think will best help you gain the knowledge you’ll need. For the latter, take a look at our Ultimate First Aid Supplies List to see if there’s anything you should be adding to your at-home first aid supplies stockpile, or if there’s something you’ve forgotten to add to one of your first aid kits.
Do you know how to tell if a cut is infected, whether to use Advil, Tylenol, or Aspirin, and how to quickly assess and address emergency situations? Did you know you that Imodium is an excellent tool for survival?
Have some spare time? Quickly browse through the first aid articles we have published on this blog here, in case there is anything valuable you’ve yet to learn on the topics we’ve written about.
Your Experiences with Stitches, Bandages, and Super Glue?
What have your experiences been like with using stitches, bandages, and super glue on cuts? Does anyone regularly use super glue to close up small knife cuts like I do? Let me know in the comments.
I am planning to purchase some new bandages for my children this week and I had no idea that there are so many things to consider! You make a great point that you should not go with the cheapest price and make sure to get bandages that are breathable and offer waterproof material and ointments. The fact that this will reduce infection and accelerate healing definitely makes it worth it to purchase high-quality bandages.
Yup, cheaping out on first aid is never going to yield optimal results.
SUPERGLUE FIXED MY CHAINSAW WOUND.
About 25 years ago I was turning a large tree which had fallen over a creek into firewood. I was about 8 feet above the creek bed, standing on a limb of the tree. When I cut through the branch, the tree shifted and I fell…
The chainsaw did not have a working chain brake. It hit the ground before I did, then I landed on the blade. It proceeded to cut through my jeans and the back of my leg below my gluteous maximus.
I jumped up and tossed the chainsaw onto the creek bank and climbed up…just before the tree fell where I had been sitting. My dad and my brother came running to see what happened, and realized immediately that there had been an accident.
They got me to pry my fingers from my bleeding wound–and just about fainted. The cut was about 7 inches long, 1-1/2 inches deep, and a chainsaw blade’s width. Fortunately, the blade didn’t hit any muscle, but cut horizontally beneath my posterior in the fatty area between your leg muscles and your butt. It was pure luck that it didn’t do any worse damage.
They wanted to take me to the hospital, but I told them I wouldn’t go. At that point in my life I was somewhat anti-medical-establishment…a kind of HYPOchondriac (the opposite of a hyperchondriac) who would avoid a doctor for anything less than having my leg completely cut off…or losing so much blood that I couldn’t stop someone from taking me in.
So they wanted me to go to the emergency room, but I told them that they weren’t big enough between the two of them to make me. With some argument I convinced them and they took me home for repair…
My dad, mom, and a couple of my brothers pitched in to help put me back together. After they removed my jeans (new jeans, dang it all!), everyone but one of my brothers just about fainted upon seeing the wound. So he was elected to pick the wood splinters out of the wound with tweezers. My mother was worried about infection and wanted to POUR TEATREE OIL INSIDE MY WOUND! I quickly took charge of that situation and told her that wasn’t going to happen, ever. But I did concede that she would be allowed to put it on my wound AFTER the edges were closed together.
They took butterfly bandages and criss-crossed my wound to keep it together, then Mom got her wish to apply teatree oil as an antibacterial.
Finally, they applied a liberal layer of Superglue all over my wound.
One week later I was up and rollerskating at a local skating rink with some cute girls, and my wound was mostly healed.
My experience is that Superglue (or any cyanoacrylate glue) is the single best solution for cuts of almost any size. Cuts, abrasions, and even deep wounds treated with Superglue heal faster and it leaves behind very little scarring. My chainsaw wound is just a thin line today. You’d never know that it was a massive gaping wound from its appearance.
I suffered no infection, by luck more than anything, and the worst part of the entire process was that I had to keep my leg straight for several days and it was hell trying to use the toilet (essentially sitting diagonally). I developed nerve damage from sleeping in a single position and it didn’t go away for more than a year.
The Superglue itself just flakes off after awhile. Since we put it over butterfly bandages, they had to trim the Superglue from time to time as it came up. After trimming, we just slathered on another layer of Superglue and called it good.
My experience shows that, despite warnings, cyanoacrylate glues can be used on large as well as small wounds. I think the primary concern would be infection, so I would recommend not being a jackass like I was in my twenties, but use good sense and see a medical professional. You can always Superglue it after you get back from the hospital…
However, in an emergency–like for example, if you were mauled by a bear 100 miles from civilization, survived, and had a tube of Superglue handy–Superglue is a first-aid miracle.
After some pretty serious surgery last year I was surprised when the bandages came off and the ten inch healing scar across my rib cage didn’t have any stiches showing. I guess they used dissolving stitches on the inside to hold the ribs together until they grew back together but the outside was all medical grade super glue. I know it’s not the same stuff you buy at the hardware store though the concept is the same. I think for DIY first aid or emergencies it’d be an easy fix as long as they do as you suggest and make sure there’s no infection before sealing up the wound.
Yup, exactly, Irrigating and disinfecting your cut/wound is paramount. Thanks for sharing Merle.
My 7 year old just got a decent size gash on his chin. It’s not bleeding but it looks pretty raw. I am debating on whether to take him to ER for stitches ($$) or try super glue and hope it heals. I’m not concerned so much about scarring as much as I am about possible infection if I don’t get it fixed up professionally. Any advice?
Hi Nicole, honestly, I wouldn’t take the risk. As an adult I can gauge how the healing is going and how I feel about it (tenderness, localized pain etc.) with kids I tend to err on the side of caution as they might not be able to communicate issues succinctly. Good luck!
I just cut my knee it’s just a small shallow cut and I was wondering can I put crazy glue and then steri strips on it as we live an hour away from the hospital plus it’s not bleeding I just want to close the slight split in the skin
Sorry about the late response Jamie, I wouldn’t mix both. Super glue would work fine by itself and shouldn’t require steri strips. let me know if it all worked out for you, sorry again about the late response!
I mentioned this on the other article as well, but reach for super glue over vet glue, if real medical glue isn’t in your budget. The vet glue is actually stronger, but significantly more likely to cause an allergic reaction than standard off-the-shelf super glue.
Excellent point Atkins, thanks for sharing!
Havnt tried superglue yet. been using electrical tape
I would definitely recommend superglue above electrical tape Tony! Thanks for dropping by.
Superglue works great have used it on knife cuts for years. Two suggestions though: 1) if the wound is small but persistently bleeding a Styptic pencil will help stem the flow, they are available at any drugstore, and 2) use a small piece of wax paper to hold the wound closed after applying the superglue, wrap it around the wound snugly and with pressure for 60-90 seconds, this ensures a tight closed wound held by the glue and keeps fingers from getting glued together, PLUS, it leaves a nice smooth surface where the glue covers the wound.
Great tips TT2Toes, I will look at writing an article on coagulants. Septic pencils are definitely a worthwhile addition to ones first aid kit.
Fun fact: Cyanocrylate glues require moisture to cure, they do nothing on completely dry surfaces, and adhere faster when it’s humid. (This is one reason they’re so awesome at putting skin back together.)
Not-so fun fact: there’s an exothermic (ie, hot) reaction going on when superglue cures, and if it comes into contact with cotton, wool, or paper fibers, that heat can intensify by quite a bit. I’ve gotten a glue-and-damp-Webril combo hot enough to blister my finger through a pair of thick latex gloves before (protip: don’t use locking forceps to impatiently attempt squeezing superglue through a clog in the applicator tip instead of clearing the clog off like a rational adult XD). So make sure you’ve got any fiber residue well clear of the cut before you glue it!
Those are some great tips. I knew that cotton + superglue did not mix well but had no idea the reaction was that aggressive. Good to know & thanks for dropping by!
I’ve used super glue before for small cuts. When I didn’t have that, electrical tape did the trick. I didn’t have access to bandaids out in the boonies. My dad used duct tape when he accidentally stabbed himself in the stomach with a drill. Probably the worst part of this is taking it off after it’s healed. Speaking of redneck first aid, when my dad was growing up in the 50’s he stepped on a rusty nail. Went clean through his foot. His mom looked at it, and made him soak it in kerosene, then wrapped it in a kerosene soaked diaper. No doctors, no tetanus shot. People were made tougher back then, I guess. I really liked this article, and would love to see more written about alternative first aid methods, kit construction, and herbal remedies or treatments. Keep up the good work.
Howdy Drew, I will do my very best to scribble down more first aid articles as well as kit construction guides. I have never thought of using kerosene as a disinfectant- a useful tidbit of information there!
I definitely agree that people used to be made of sterner stuff- we are very spoiled with technology and modern amenities, if the world ever ends the younger folk will probably have a nervous breakdown!
I’ve used superglue in the past for small cuts. It also works well for slivers/splinters that are hard to pull with tweezers or dig out with a needle. Layering a few drops right over the object, let it dry, and then pick ithe glue off. It usually takes off a few layers of skin, as well as the embedded object.
Thats a great tip Paul, never thought about removing splinters with superglue!
Nice article.
l started my altoids FAK and was looking for some superglue tips!
What else did you put in your FAK?
This is a great and informative article. I would add the use of steri-strips. I have had numerous personal experiences with these, both applied on me and in treating others.
The most recent was while at the range shooting with friends, one of whom was sighting in a new scoped rifle. He got to close to the scope and was bit causing the glasses he was wearing to bite into the bridge of his nose. I have to admit I was just slightly happy I could use some of my first aid training and medical supplies I carry in my range bag. After applying direct pressure = bleeding stopped, cleaning the wound with alcohol wipe it was apparent that some steri-strips would be in order. Shooting commenced and some valuable lessons were learned and releanrd.
Hi Ed, I dig steri-strips too and they certainly saved the day at the range! Do you also have a coagulant like quik-clot in your first aid kit? Might come in useful in cases were direct pressure isn’t enough to stop the bleeding.
Cat bites can be deadly. The enzymes in a cats mouth very infectious.
If the bite is bleeding then an infection can occur.
Seek Medical attention now!
Death with in 24 hours!
Definitely! Especially if it’s a stray or feral cat. Always a chance of catching rabies as well.
I doubt a cat bite can kill within 24 hours.
If that was the case, cats would have been used as vectors for centuries. Vectors are biological warfare carriers. Like mosquitoes, bats, rats, etc.
But, they can make you real sick.
Wayne
Keep your super glue in the refrigerator, it should last forever I buy 1 oz bottles of Insta-Cure by the case ( I make miniature trees for model railroads) and keep it in the bottom of my refrigerator. The small tubes are
one shot deals and may dry up before you can use them. Also, a pad of paper towels held in place with
paper tape will stop the bleeding from small cuts. I have very thin skin (old, old age) that will tear open if I bump something. The paper towels allow me to push the skin back in place and slow or stop the bleeding.
Use the back side of the sheet you tear off of the roll, it will be the sterile side. Black pepper liberally sprinkled into a cut will stop the bleeding. It doesn’t sting.
Great tips Rey, Didn’t know about black pepper being used as a coagulant, I’ll remember that when I do an article about first aid using household items!
Another useful coagulant and astringent, particularly for nasty grazes and slightly shins/kneecaps is instant coffee. Tea and ground coffee also work perfectly well, but the advantage of instant is that it’s soluble, meaning it can get into any rough patches easily on contact with blood/plasma and be washed away after without any risk of foreign particles being left in the wound.
Very interesting, I should write up a list of over the counter coagulants one could find in their homes!
I work in hospitality, I’ve talked to Chefs alot about lacerations and what to put on them. Tho I have heard mixed signals of using natural household clotting agents, in particular, pepper.
Pepper was the first I heard you can use. Was surprised on how much it does actually works, especially mixed with honey (natural anesthetic) however if too fine, the pepper can enter the blood stream and create a clot, apparently. Meaning you’ll have to use it after initial bleeding, wait, clean it off, then bandage up appropriately.
So I moved to salt, which isn’t as successful but can dissolve fine. In a survival situation, I doubt you’d want your salt levels to spike more than they should, depending on the environment.
I’ve also heard raw sugar can work, however I’m yet to try it. Maybe next time I get to friendly cutting limes!!!
Those home remedies are so interesting, I have never tried any of those although pepper definitely seems to be a popular choice.
I think maybe ill stick to medical grade superglue!
You one of a kind !
The black pepper worked just fine .
It stung me a bit but , hey I save a trip to The ER. I got my wound on after hitting my head on pavement at probably 20 -25 m/hr ,without a helmet. Yeah , I know ( the sticker on the bikes,is not advertising) Lesson Learned . Thanks again .
Super Glue works on horse wounds wonderfully ! Vets have Super Glue for horses ;-)
Yup! Super glue sure is awesome stuff. Thanks for stopping by, Jerry!
Super glue was also used in Vietnam.