Have open sores from pimples, sharp cuts, or infections on your face and are frustrated with having a hard time hiding them? Don't worry, in fact you can maximize the healing process by always keeping the injured area clean and moist, and avoiding actions that can make it more irritated.
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Method 1 of 4: Self-Healing Wounds
Step 1. Wash your hands thoroughly
Before touching or treating the injured area, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and antibacterial soap. After that, dry your hands well and don't touch anything else before touching your wound.
Touching the injured area with dirty hands can transfer dirt and bacteria to the injured area. Doing so runs the risk of slowing down your skin's recovery process
Step 2. Clean the wound with warm water to remove dirt and grime
Don't use hot water to prevent blood from flowing back! Do not also use soap to prevent the risk of irritation and infection.
Cleaning the wound is also effective in eliminating all types of bacteria that have the potential to cause infection
Step 3. Apply external medicine
Keep the injured area moist to speed up the healing process. Therefore, try applying petroleum gel or an over-the-counter antibiotic containing an antibiotic with your finger or a cotton swab to the injured area.
Step 4. Cover the wound with a bandage
Be careful, open wounds have a greater potential to become infected if contaminated with dust and dirt. To protect the wound and speed up the healing process, try covering it with a bandage.
- Look for a breathable bandage so the skin can breathe properly. Remember, the skin can dry and heal faster if it is exposed to oxygen regularly.
- In addition, the bandage is also able to keep the injured area moist so that it speeds up the healing process.
Step 5. Keep the skin around the injured area clean
To protect the wound and prevent infection, don't be lazy to clean the surrounding skin area! For example, you can clean your face regularly with a special face wash or antibacterial soap.
After that, dry your face well because damp skin is a breeding ground for bacteria
Method 2 of 4: Seeking Medical Help
Step 1. Watch for signs of infection
Be careful, open wounds are more prone to infection! Therefore, make sure you watch out for some signs of infection such as sores that are red, swollen, or warm. Also be careful if the injured area starts to ooze pus or other colored fluid.
- If the infection worsens, you may also experience fever, chills, or excessive fatigue. Call your doctor immediately if these signs happen to you!
- In some cases, minor infections that are usually caused by bacteria can transform into cellulite. This type of infection occurs in the deeper layers of the skin and the tissues behind it. If left untreated, minor infections can also lead to serious complications! Watch out if the injured area starts to turn red, swell, and has a yellowish or greenish discharge.
Step 2. See a doctor if you have other health problems
Some people have a slower ability to heal wounds or are more prone to complications from infections due to obesity, diabetes, poor blood flow due to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), smoking, drinking alcohol, or stress.
Immediately contact your doctor for recommendations for appropriate treatment if you experience one or more of these conditions
Step 3. See a doctor for deep wound healing on the face
Don't try to heal internal wounds on your own! If the condition of the wound is so severe that it is difficult to clean or close again, contact a doctor immediately. Most likely, the wound will need to be stitched up by a medical professional to prevent infection.
- If the blood flow to the wound does not stop, see a doctor immediately because this situation indicates serious irritation.
- Be sure to also see your doctor if the area around the wound is red, painful to the touch, or swollen. Most likely, you will need to take oral antibiotics to cure it.
Step 4. Take antiviral medication to heal wounds caused by infection
If the open wound on your face is caused by a viral infection, your doctor will likely prescribe an antiviral medication in the form of a pill or cream to treat it. Compared to creams, pills generally have a higher effectiveness for healing wounds.
If you don't want to see a doctor, try buying an over-the-counter cream for wound healing from an infection
Method 3 of 4: Heal Wounds Fast
Step 1. Protect the injured area from pressure
Some types of facial injuries occur due to pressure or friction on sensitive skin layers (for example, from the use of oxygen cylinders or even glasses). If the condition also causes your face to hurt, try not to wear it for a certain period of time, at least until your wound is completely healed.
Not sure what to do to change the pattern of wearing glasses or oxygen cylinders? Immediately consult a doctor
Step 2. Increase protein consumption
In fact, your diet greatly affects your body's natural ability to heal itself. So that wounds on the face heal faster, try increasing your protein intake. In other words, make sure you are diligent in consuming low-fat meats, dairy products, whole grains and grains, legumes, and various vegetables every day.
- One source of protein that is good for the body is low-fat meat. Try eating chicken breast, fish, pork, eggs, or other types of low-fat meats.
- Dairy products are also very rich in protein. Try eating Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and other types of low-fat cheese as snacks.
- Whole grains like quinoa and bulgur are high in protein. In addition, you can also eat black beans, kidney beans, or lentils. Meanwhile, several types of vegetables that are high in protein are spinach and broccoli.
- Avoid fast food that has the potential to worsen swelling and slow down the skin's healing process.
Step 3. Take the right supplements
Boost your immune system by taking dietary supplements to heal wounds faster. For example, try taking vitamins C, B, D, and E regularly. In addition, take fish oil and zinc supplements to treat infections and speed up the healing process.
Step 4. Don't peel off the dry wound
If the wound on your face starts to dry out, don't try to peel it off. Be careful, this action has the risk of slowing down the recovery process and leaving scars on the face. Let the dry wound peel off by itself.
Continue to apply petroleum gel to the injured area to minimize the potential for scarring and/or rough texture
Step 5. Do not clean your face with ingredients that are not friendly to the skin
While the recovery process is in progress, do not wash your face with liquids that are high in chemicals or unfriendly to skin that is prone to irritation and/or infection.
Do not use face washes that contain antibacterial ingredients, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine
Step 6. Do not move the facial muscles excessively
During the recovery process, try to limit muscle movement around the injured area to prevent the wound from re-opening, becoming irritated, and/or not healing.
Try not to smile, chew, or talk with excessive movements. In other words, move your facial muscles to a minimum as you recover
Step 7. Compress the injured area with ice cubes
If there is swelling around the injured area, try applying a cold pack or ice. Prepare a cold pad or ice cubes with a soft towel and apply it to the injured area for 10-20 minutes. You can do this process several times a day.
Do not apply ice cubes directly to the injured area to avoid burning your face
Step 8. Do not interact with hot liquids or food during the recovery process
To prevent irritation and swelling of the injured area, make sure you don't shower or wash your face with warm water. Do not apply warm compresses to the wound, eat foods that are too hot or spicy, or consume hot drinks.
Method 4 of 4: Healing Wounds with Natural Ingredients
Step 1. Compress the wound with chamomile
Chamomile is also effective in healing wounds because it contains natural antibiotics and antiseptics. Try compressing the injured area with a piece of cloth that has been soaked in warm chamomile tea.
You can also compress the wound with a cooled tea bag
Step 2. Use aloe vera
The conditioning and healing properties of aloe vera make it one of the most effective natural remedies. You can use an external remedy that contains aloe vera or apply a gel that is scraped directly from the aloe vera plant.
Step 3. Use tea tree oil
One type of essential oil has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that are effective in healing external wounds naturally. For those of you who are interested in this method, try mixing two drops of oil with 250 ml of warm water; Apply the mixture to the injured area using a cotton swab.
- Since the concentration of tea tree oil is very high and concentrated, make sure you dilute it with water before using it.
- Perform an allergy test by applying a small amount of the oil to an uninjured area of the skin. Be careful, some people have sensitive skin that is prone to irritation.
Step 4. Use essential oils
Did you know that several variants of essential oils are effective in treating external wounds? If you are interested in using this method, try mixing a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil such as olive or almond oil.
