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Lacerations services offered in Modesto, CA
Lacerations aren’t anything to be taken lightly since even a small cut seriously increases your risk of developing a dangerous infection. Modesto, California’s leading family physician Amrik S. Basi, MD, and the team at Elite Urgent Care offer walk-in urgent care visits and flexible scheduling for laceration treatment. You can conveniently schedule your appointment online or call to speak with a team member directly.
What is a laceration?
A laceration is a wound that occurs when a foreign object — like a knife or piece of glass — rips or tears your skin. In most cases, a laceration is irregularly shaped and jagged, which makes it difficult for the skin to close back up and heal. As a result, any lingering bacteria and debris left behind from the object that cut you, can continue irritating your skin and lead to a deep infection if not properly treated.
When should I see a doctor for a laceration?
Whether your laceration seems minor or severe, the team at Elite Urgent Care want you to come in and have it thoroughly evaluated. It’s especially important to head to the clinic if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms with your laceration.
- Continuous bleeding after 10-15 minutes of pressure
- Exposed muscle, connective tissues, or bone
- A sensation that something is inside your wound
- Visible debris in the wound
- Numbness or tingling
You should also come to Elite Urgent Care for medical treatment of a laceration if it’s more than 1/8-inch deep, or if the cut is over a joint, since constant bending may delay healing.
How is a laceration treated?
The team at Elite Urgent Care are highly skilled at examining and treating lacerations, so you can feel confident that you’re going to get the care you need. Treating a laceration can be somewhat uncomfortable, especially if it’s a deep wound, so your practitioner might begin by numbing the area with a local anesthetic injection before cleaning or treating your wound.
Afterward, it’s important that they irrigate your laceration with a sterile solution to flush out any debris and thoroughly clean your wound. Once your dedicated practitioner can better see the depth and severity of your wound after it’s been cleaned, they can seal the wound to promote healing.
Depending on the location of your wound, you might need stitches to treat your laceration, or you might only need a specialized skin adhesive (sometimes called “liquid stitches”). When your laceration is fully treated, your practitioner wraps your wound and counsels you on how to care for it at home.
In most cases, the team at Elite Urgent Care want you to follow-up in about a week to ensure your laceration is healing properly. If at any time you notice redness, progressing pain, or oozing coming from your laceration, come back into the clinic for further treatment.
You can always walk into Elite Urgent Care during business hours if you have a laceration, or you can schedule an exam online or over the phone.