I cut my finger a day or two ago doing a bit of DIY and have since had a plaster in it, for protection and (it was a deep cut) to help hold it all together until it heals over.
But I remember I was always told as a kid that I should always try to do without having a plaster (band aid in US?) on a cut as ‘the air will help heal it quicker’. I never thought to question this before, but today was wondering if this was actually the case, or just another ‘Old Wives’ tale’ that has became “common knowledge” somewhere along the way.
In a thread some time ago about this question - whether wounds heal quicker with or without air - someobdy linked to a metastudy where the consensus was: half of the studies said that with air and dry scab wounds heal better; the other of the studies said keeping it moist with a band-aid/ plaster* made heal wounds quicker/ better.
So six of one, half a dozen from the other. Aren’t you glad you asked for real information?
I think in AE, a plaster is the white stuff you make casts out of ?, which would be a bit overkill on a cut finger…
For clarity, in the UK we generally call a band-aid a ‘sticking plaster’ (or simply ‘plaster’ for short) but also call plaster-of-paris a ‘plaster cast’ when applied to broken bones etc…
Cheers for the other info though; not a lot of difference to worry about then.
In keeping with that, the advice I’ve had from my doctor is to keep wounds bandaged, but let them be out in the air for an hour or two each time I need to change the bandage.
Strictly speaking, Band-Aid is a brand name. The generic term (which nobody ever uses except on labels for the generic product) is “adhesive bandage”. “Bandage” is used by itself, too, but generally refers to something like a big piece of gauze which must be attached with separate tape. Or possibly an Ace bandage, which is a long stretchy strip that you wrap around an injured ankle or the like to provide some support.
Keep it covered if you’re doing something that might allow dirt into the wound, or allow things to poke it that might tear the scab. Keep it uncovered the rest of the time.
depends on the injury and location. it can keep an injury clean, protect a scab, keep a cut injury from opening causing further injury and slow healing.
