#Little twig skin#
#Little twig professional#

A minor skin infection may develop two to five days after injury.Sometimes a minor skin infection evolves into a bone or joint infection, so you should look for these signs:.Infection is a common complication of puncture wounds that can lead to serious consequences.Avoiding Complicationsįollow the foot and ankle surgeon’s instructions for care of the wound to prevent complications (see “Puncture Wounds: What You Should Do” further down on this page). Antibiotics may be prescribed if necessary. In some cases, x-rays may be ordered to determine whether something remains in the wound or if bone damage has occurred. He or she may numb the area, thoroughly clean inside and outside the wound, and monitor your progress. The surgeon will make sure the wound is properly cleaned and no foreign body remains. The sooner you do this, the better-within 24 hours after injury, if possible. TreatmentĪ puncture wound must be cleaned properly and monitored throughout the healing process to avoid complications.Įven if you have gone to an emergency room for immediate treatment of your puncture wound, see a foot and ankle surgeon for a thorough cleaning and careful follow-up. The dirtier an object, such as a rusty nail, the more dirt and debris are dragged into the wound, increasing the chance of infection.Īnother thing that can determine wound severity is if you were wearing socks and shoes, particles of which can get trapped in the wound. Larger or longer objects can penetrate deeper into the tissues, possibly causing more damage. The type and cleanliness of the penetrating object also determine the severity of the wound. Therefore, if you have stepped on something and the skin was penetrated, seek treatment as soon as possible. Many patients cannot judge how far their puncture extends into the foot. The deeper the puncture, the more likely it is that complications, such as infection, will develop. Depth of the wound is one way to evaluate it. There are different ways of determining the severity of a puncture wound.

Anything that remains in the wound increases your chance of developing other problems, either in the near future or later. All puncture wounds are dirty wounds because they involve penetration of an object that is not sterile. In addition, pieces of your own skin, sock and shoe can be forced into the wound during a puncture, along with dirt and debris from the object. Nails, glass, toothpicks, sewing needles, insulin needles and seashells are some common ones. Foreign Bodies in Puncture WoundsĪ variety of foreign bodies can become embedded in a puncture wound.

#Little twig professional#

Research shows that complications can be prevented if the patient seeks professional treatment right away. Proper treatment within the first 24 hours is especially important with puncture wounds because they carry the danger of embedding the piercing object (foreign body) under the skin. If not properly treated, infection or other complications can develop. But even though they occur frequently, puncture wounds of the foot are often inadequately treated. Puncture wounds are common in the foot, especially in warm weather when people go barefoot. Puncture wounds require different treatment from cuts because these small holes in the skin can disguise serious injury. In contrast, a cut is an open wound that produces a long tear in the skin. A puncture wound has a small entry hole caused by a pointed object, such as a nail that you have stepped on. Puncture wounds are not the same as cuts. Puncture Wounds What Is a Puncture Wound? Please enable Javascript in your browser. Javascript is required to view the content on this page.