Facial Laceration

What is Facial Laceration

Facial laceration is a cut on the face. This can happen because of an accident or injury that cuts or tears the skin or tissues on your face. These injuries can hurt and bleed.

Some cuts may need to be closed with stitches (sutures), skin glue, or skin tape (adhesive) strips. Cuts usually heal quickly, but they can leave a scar. It can take 1–2 years for the scar to go away completely.

Follow these instructions at home:

Wound care

• Follow your doctor’s instructions for wound care. These instructions will vary depending on how the wound was closed.
  • For stitches:
    • Keep the wound clean and dry.
    • If you were given a bandage (dressing), change it at least one time a day, or as told by your doctor. Also change the bandage if it gets wet or dirty.
    • Wash the wound with soap and water two times a day, or as told by your doctor. Rinse off the soap with water. Use a clean towel to pat the wound dry.
    • After cleaning, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment as told by your doctor. This helps prevent infection and keeps the bandage from sticking to the wound.
    • You may shower as usual after the first 24 hours. Do notsoak the wound until the stitches are taken out.
    • Go back to have your stitches taken out as told by your doctor.
    • Do notwear makeup until your doctor says it is okay.
  • For skin tape strips:
    • Keep the wound clean and dry.
    • Do notlet the skin tape strips get wet.
    • Bathe carefully to keep the wound and skin tape strips dry. If the wound gets wet, pat it dry with a clean towel right away.
    • Skin tape strips fall off on their own over time. You may trim the strips as the wound heals. Do nottake off skin tape strips that are still stuck to the wound.
  • For skin glue:
    • You may briefly wet your wound in the shower or bath.
    • Do notsoak or scrub the wound.
    • Do not swim.
    • Do notdo anything that makes you sweat a lot until the skin glue has fallen off on its own.
    • After you shower or take a bath, use a clean towel to gently pat the wound dry.
    • Do notput liquid medicine, cream medicine, ointment, or makeup on your wound while the skin glue is in place. This may loosen the film before your wound is healed.
    • If you have a bandage over your wound, be careful not to apply tape directly over the skin glue. This may pull off the skin glue before the wound is healed.
    • Do notspend a long time in the sun or use a tanning lamp while the skin glue is in place.
    • The skin glue usually stays in place for 5–10 days. Then, it naturally falls off the skin. Do notpick at the skin glue.

General instructions

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Check your wound area every day for signs of infection. Check for:
  • More redness, swelling, or pain.
  • More fluid or blood.
  • Warmth.
  • Pus or a bad smell.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic, take or apply it as told by your doctor. Do notstop taking or applying the antibiotic even if your condition improves.

After the cut has healed:

• Know that it can take a year or two for redness or scarring to fade.
• Apply sunscreen to the skin of your healed wound to minimize scarring. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can darken scar tissue.

Contact a doctor if:

• You have a fever.
• You have more redness, swelling, or pain around your wound.
• You have more fluid or blood coming from your wound.
• Your wound feels warm to the touch.
• You have pus or a bad smell coming from your wound.

Get help right away if:

• You have a red streak going away from your wound.

Summary

• A cut on the face (facial laceration) may need to be closed with stitches (sutures), skin tape strips, or skin glue.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions for wound care.
• Check your wound area every day for signs of infection such as redness, swelling, or drainage.