Three Factors That May Prevent a Wound from Healing Quickly
Depending on the type of wound that you suffer, you'll need to decide whether you should seek emergency medical care or treat the wound yourself. Unless the injury is severe, self-care is often the first choice for many people. After you've cleaned the wound, applied anti-bacterial cream, and bandaged it, you'll need to give it some time to heal—you'll keep an eye on its progress, of course, and seek medical care if the wound appears to be infected or is otherwise showing signs of worsening. You may grow frustrated that the wound doesn't appear to be healing quickly. Here are some potential reasons why.
You're Interfering with It
One of the simplest reasons that a wound may not heal in a timely manner is that you aren't leaving it alone and allowing it to heal. People can have a bad habit of picking scabs as they develop. For example, you might not like the look of the scab if it's in a visible place, so you pick it off. Or, if the area around the scab is itchy, you could unknowingly scratch it during the night and remove the scab. The more you interfere with the wound, the slower it will heal.
It Isn't Getting a Break
Wounds in certain areas of your body can be slow to heal because they aren't getting enough time to do so. For example, if you were to have a cut on your knuckle, it could reopen each time that you bend the finger, which would likely be hundreds of times throughout the day. Of, if you have a cut on the bottom of your foot, the fact that you're walking on the wound may cause it to heal slowly. When possible, see if you can keep the area around the wound immobile to aid in the healing process.
It's Not Getting Air
Exposure to the air may sound simple, but it can be a valuable tool in helping your wounds to heal. Depending on where the wound is located on your body, however, its exposure to the air may be minimal. See what changes you can make in this regard. In the case of a foot wound, you might not be able to go barefoot during the day at work, but remove your shoes and socks at home to let the air get at the affected area. If you're still concerned about the slow speed of the healing process, consult a wound care service.