Treating a Cut Finger and When to Seek Emergency Help

It's not unusual to cut yourself with a knife in the kitchen or while working on a project around the house. Accidents happen.

Finger cuts range from minor to severe. Minor injuries, like shallow paper cuts, can quickly be treated at home with basic first aid. Deeper, more severe cuts may damage the skin, tendons, ligaments, and even the bone. Such cuts call for a visit to the emergency room, and often require stitches.

This article will help you determine if your finger cut is minor or not. It also provides first aid tips you can follow to treat small cuts on your own, and explains when to go to the emergency room.

Control the Bleeding

An accidental cut can be minor or severe. The first step with either is to try to stop the bleeding. Doing so will give you a clearer sense of how deep the cut is.

• Minor cuts and scrapes that are oozing a little blood usually don't require any bleeding control. They typically stop bleeding on their own, but you can apply pressure to help this along.
• If the bleeding is heavy, bright red, or spurting, then take steps to control it. Your priority should be to apply pressure with clean gauze or a towel and elevate the wound.
• If the finger is amputated, immediately put pressure on the cut to control bleeding and follow the steps for treating an amputation. Wrap the amputated finger in moist gauze or a moist paper towel, seal it in a plastic bag, and place it in a container with ice water.

Note: If you are not the injured person, try to use protective gloves when treating the cut. Follow universal precautions like washing your hands before touching the wound. This can prevent infection and the spread of contagious diseases.

When to Seek Emergency Care (Deep Cuts)

If your finger meets any other following criteria, you need to go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic right away:

• The cut is more than a quarter-inch deep.
• The cut has ragged edges.
• The cut is still bleeding after 15 minutes of applying pressure.
• The cut bleeds in spurts.
• The cut was made by a dirty or rusty object.
• The wound is from a human or animal bite.
• You can see fat, muscle, bone or other structures in the wound.
• The cut is over a joint.
• The joint doesn't work.
• The edges of the wound open or tear when you move the joint.
• You have cosmetic concerns about the wound.
• You are uncertain about the severity of the injury.
  

An amputated finger requires immediate medical attention at a hospital. Call 911 if you think you will be delayed in getting there or don't have a ride. Never drive yourself with a partially or fully amputated finger.

If your finger has been amputated, here's what you need to do:

1. Call 911 for immediate medical help.
2. Control bleeding. Apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean bandage, t-shirt, or cloth.
3. Raise the injured finger to heart-level or slightly above.
4. Once the bleeding is under control, try to gently remove any dirty material that may contaminate the wound. If the wound is dirty, rinse it with clean water. Do not scrub.
5. Cover the injury in a damp gauze wrap or a clean, damp cloth.
6. Wrap the severed finger in a clean, damp cloth. Place it in a sealed plastic bag. Place the bag in a cooler or container with ice water. Do not place the severed finger directly in water or ice without a plastic bag.
7. If no ice is available, keep the finger away from heat and try to keep it as cool as possible.
8. Try to stay warm and calm until the ambulance arrives.

Clean the Wound

Cleaning the wound properly is essential to preventing infection.

Healthcare providers will handle this for deep cuts. For minor finger cuts, follow these steps:

• Rinse the cut under clear running water. 
• Wash around the wound with soap. Antibacterial soap is not necessary, but try to keep soap out of the wound because it may irritate it. If you can, avoid soap products with heavy perfumes. They may irritate the cut. 
• If there is any dirt or other debris in the wound, clean a pair of tweezers with alcohol. Use them to gently remove any particles you can see. If you can't get everything out, you might need a healthcare provider to do this.
  

Use an Antibiotic Ointment

Antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin or Polysporin, is usually not necessary for the majority of minor cuts. It also won't help a wound heal faster.

However, it can help prevent infection and may be particularly useful for those who anticipate not being able to keep their wound from touching lots of dirt and grime throughout the day.

Never squeeze ointment directly onto the cut. You don't want to contaminate the container. Instead, put the ointment on a cotton swab. You can also use another clean, disposable surface like a tongue depressor or a small piece of clean gauze.

Apply a Bandage

Adhesive bandages protect the cut from contamination. They are not necessary for many minor cuts and scrapes unless there's a potential that they can get dirty or irritated.

When applying an adhesive bandage, never touch the pad. Peel off one side of the protective covering and attach the sticky part to the finger. Then, wrap the bandage around the finger and remove the other covering as you go.

Replace the bandage at least once a day or whenever it gets dirty.

If you were seen by a healthcare provider, follow their instructions for cleaning and bandaging your cut.

How Long Will a Finger Cut Take to Heal?

Most minor wounds fully heal within one week. Larger cuts, including those that require stitches or surgical repair, can take up to a year to fully heal.

After dressing a minor cut or being treated for a deeper one, watch for infection. Signs of infection include:

• Increased temperature or pain at the wound site
• Redness
• Swelling
• Oozing
• Fever
• Red streaks leading from the wound

If you notice any of these or anything else that seems abnormal, see your healthcare provider or go to an urgent care clinic as soon as possible.

Finger Cut Aftercare

Minor finger cuts should make a full recovery without complications. With that being said, even the smallest cuts can get infected, so it's important to protect your healing wound from day one.

Follow these aftercare instructions to help your cut heal and prevent infection:

• Rinse the cut with clean, sterile water and a gentle soap once per day or each time you change bandages.
• Inspect your wound carefully for signs of infection each time you change the bandage.
• After rinsing the cut, gently pat it dry with a clean cloth.
• Apply a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment to the cut.
• Wrap the cut in an adhesive bandage. Take care not to apply the bandage too tight or too loose. The bandage should not be painful or cut off circulation. There also should not be openings that would let air in and dry the cut out, either.
• The healing cut should never be too wet or too dry. Keep it covered while you take a shower.

If you needed stitches or surgical repair, your recovery will be a little more detailed. Your surgeon and/or healthcare provider will give you specific instructions for your aftercare. Follow their instructions carefully, and call them with any questions that may arise.

Medical Care for a Deeper Cut

Once you reach the emergency room, a healthcare provider will take a look at the injury and evaluate its severity. If the injury appears complex or deformed, your provider will likely request an X-ray.

If the cut goes through the skin and leaves a large wound, you will probably need stitches. This is particularly true if you can see fat or muscle. In order to decrease the risk of scars and infection, a healthcare provider should close the cut within a few hours.

Especially severe injuries, like those with deformities, exposed bone, or wounds that are too large for stitches, will require surgical repair.

There are two main surgical procedures for deep cuts:

• Skin graft: A surgeon will remove healthy skin from another body part and transplant it over the finger wound. The healthy skin will replace the skin that is damaged or missing.
• Reconstructive surgery: A surgeon may repair deformities, remove obstructive tissues, and reconstruct the injured finger as needed. Reconstructive surgery may also involve a skin graft.

The surgical procedure you get will depend on the severity and complexity of your finger injury.

Summary

Finger cuts are pretty common. Knowing what to do when you have a cut finger can help prevent infection and excessive bleeding. The most important first aid steps include stopping the bleeding, cleaning the wound, applying an antibiotic, and putting a bandage on it.

If you have a deep cut, it's important to go to the urgent care center or ER to get help from a healthcare provider. If your finger has been amputated, do not attempt to drive to the ER. Call 911 immediately, and apply pressure to the wound to control bleeding.

In most cases, minor cuts will heal within one week. If you need stitches or surgery, you can expect the wound to heal within a year.