# TMI Alert!! But need advice on stopping blood **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624 "2012-08-06T16:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624/21 "2012-08-08T08:33:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Hold something on it to stop the flow of blood, and _lie down_. That last part is important. Sitting or standing adds gravity to the normal effects of blood pressure preventing the blood from clotting properly. A styptic pencil or alcohol will help **staunch** the flow, so will an ice cube, or just holding something against it. This is why I prefer to strangle any sizable skin tag, some of them are bleeders. Arrrrrgh! Bing! Bing! Bing! (Little duck on a trapeze descends from the ceiling.) Sorry for the hijack, but you’ve hit my hot-button word! **Staunch** doesn’t mean to stop the flow of anything! It’s an adjective meaning “steadfast” as in “my staunch ally”. **Stanch** is the verb meaning “stop a flow”. It can be used literally (“stanch the bleeding” or “stanch the flood”) or figuratively (“stanch the information leaks”). I see these two words get used interchangeably in news articles all the time, all over the place! It grates on me! They are misused so regularly that some “descriptivist” dictionaries now even allow them to be used interchangeably. But I’m not buying that! [sub]I always wanted an opportunity to rant on that![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624/22 "2012-08-08T13:05:02Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > **Staunch** doesn’t mean to stop the flow of anything! It’s an adjective meaning “steadfast” as in “my staunch ally” In this context do you think the Op mean “steadfast?”. Unless the answer is yes (and if it it then you have more serious problems) then open another thread. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624/23 "2012-08-08T13:21:02Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > **Staunch** doesn’t mean to stop the flow of anything! It’s an adjective meaning “steadfast” as in “my staunch ally”. > > **Stanch** is the verb meaning “stop a flow”. It can be used literally (“stanch the bleeding” or “stanch the flood”) or figuratively (“stanch the information leaks”). Ignorance fought. Thank you for the information. I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![qualityleashdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/9f8e36/32.png) [@qualityleashdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qualityleashdog)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624/24 "2012-08-12T03:04:15Z")
I use quickstop on the dogs nails if they are cut too far. It’s sold for pets, and said to work on other light pet wounds as well. Don’t use it on yourself, it does burn. I tell grooming customers that if they ever cut a nail, or if one starts up again, to go for the cornstarch. I’ve used cornstarch on myself, and it doesn’t burn at all. I also bought an alum block from Amazon for my shaving nicks and cuts, it’s doing great, I’d imagine better than a styptic pen since it’s got a flat surface to press against whatever irregular size the cut/scrape/wound is, without having to be on target or poke around in there with the tip. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-alert-but-need-advice-on-stopping-blood/630624.md?page=1)