Is a Wound Healing or Infected? How to Tell and What You Can Do

A wound is any type of damage to your skin or other body tissues. Examples include cuts, tears, burns, and punctures. Wounds are usually the result of accidents or injuries. They can also be caused by medical procedures like surgeries. Fortunately, the body is an amazing machine. People cut or scrape themselves all the time and heal without even thinking about it.

But sometimes, germs can get inside a wound and make it infected. Certain types of wounds are more likely to get infected or to take a long time to heal. And, in some cases, you may even need to see a healthcare professional for antibiotics or other treatment.

When caring for a wound at home, it's good to know about the healing process. That way you can take action when something doesn't seem right.

What does an infected wound look like?

An infected wound may look different from a wound that's healing normally. These changes usually show up in the first couple of weeks. Signs and symptoms of a wound infection typically include:

• Redness and warmth: Red skin can be a sign of irritation, inflammation, and infection - especially if it's warm to the touch. Another warning sign is if the red area swells and gets bigger over time.

• Pain: Usually pain will get better with time as your wound heals. Continuing or worsening pain can be signs that your wound is infected.

• Yellow or greenish fluid (pus): It's normal for a healing wound to leak some clear fluid. But a lot of thick, yellowish fluid coming from your wound could mean it's infected - especially if the fluid smells bad.

• Stiffness or numbness: As your wound heals, you should be able to move it more and more normally. Increased stiffness or numbness in the area could be signs of infection.

• Fever or body aches: These could mean that your wound is infected.

If you notice any of these changes, get medical attention as soon as possible. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to the tissue under your skin and/or enter your bloodstream. This can cause serious problems, including sepsis, which is a medical emergency (more on this below).

What does normal wound healing look like?

A skin wound goes through four stages as it heals. The smaller the wound, the more likely it is to heal quickly. As it heals, here's what's happening and what you'll notice:

• Hemostasis: In the first 5 to 10 minutes after an injury, your body acts quickly to stop the bleeding - a process called hemostasis. Your blood vessels tighten to limit blood flow to the area. Small cell fragments (platelets) begin to form blood clots. Finally, a scab forms over the wound to protect the delicate tissue underneath.

• Inflammation: After the scab has formed, your immune system starts to take action. White blood cells flood the area to fight off germs. Over 2 to 5 days, your wound may become more tender, swollen, and red. You might also notice bruising as some of the blood from your injury collects under your skin.

• Rebuilding: Over the next few weeks, your body starts to repair the injured area. Tiny new blood vessels grow, making it pinker than the surrounding skin. This extra blood helps the damaged tissue start to regrow. You might also see some white-ish fluid around the wound as immune cells finish doing their job and die off. Healthy, healing tissue should be pink - but not bright red - and shouldn't bleed too easily.

• Remodeling: As time goes on, your body begins the process of remodeling, or making the repairs stronger and more permanent. This can last up to 2 years. During this stage, your wound should fully close, and your scars should fade as the skin around them becomes stronger. Some scars can be permanent, especially if your wound was deep.

In short, if your wound is healing well, it should look - and feel - better every day.

According to Dr. Jared Huston, surgeon and professor at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health in New York, signs that your wound is healing well include:

• The amount of pain or tenderness is decreasing.

• The size of the wound is getting smaller.

• The surrounding skin is normal in color, without redness or swelling.

• There's no foul-smelling fluid (pus) draining out.

• You otherwise feel well without any fatigue, fevers, or chills.

• You're functioning normally in your day-to-day life.

How do wounds get infected?

Wounds get infected when harmful germs, like bacteria or other microorganisms, enter your body. These germs can come from different places, like dirt, unclean objects, or your own skin.

Normally, your skin protects you from germs. But any time your skin is broken - like from a bite, a scrape, or a cut - germs can get into your body. Often your immune system can fight off the germs on its own. But if it can't, it can lead to an infection.

It may take 2 to 3 days or more after an injury to see the signs of infection. But many wounds, if cleaned right away and cared for properly, will not get infected and will heal well on their own.

What are the risks for a wound infection?

Any wound can get infected, even a simple cut or scrape. But, some wounds are more likely to get infected. This includes ones that are large, caused by a foreign object (like a rusty nail) or human or animal bite, or one that wasn't cleaned properly right after the injury or accident.

Certain people are also at higher risk for developing a wound infection. This includes people who:

• Have certain medical conditions, like diabetes, cancer, and immune system problems

• Are older in age

• Have a very high body weight

• Are malnourished

• Are paralyzed or have limited mobility

• Are in the hospital

How to keep your wound from getting infected

Many simple cuts and scrapes can be cared for at home. Here's how to take care of a minor wound and keep it from getting infected:

• Wash your hands. Before taking care of the wound, wash your hands. This can keep extra germs from getting into the wound while you're taking care of it.

• Clean the wound. Use cool or barely warm water to gently wash the area. Make sure there's no debris left behind, like dirt or glass.

• Stop the bleeding. If the wound is still bleeding, use a clean washcloth or piece of sterile gauze to apply pressure. Hold pressure for several minutes until the bleeding stops.

• Apply petroleum jelly. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, petroleum jelly (Vaseline) will help minor wounds heal - and may work even better than over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic creams. Be aware that using antibiotic ointment every day can result in an allergic reaction for many people, causing an itchy red rash that can look like an infection.

• Put on a bandage. Cover the wound with a sterile bandage, like a Band-Aid or sterile pad and surgical tape.

• Keep the cut covered while it heals. Change the bandage daily, or more often if it gets wet or soiled. This keeps it moist, which can help with healing. It also keeps germs out.

If you have a larger or more serious wound, you may need to see a healthcare professional. And if you need stitches or a special bandage, they can give you more details on how to care for your wound and prevent infection.

How to treat an infected cut

Minor cuts that just have a little surrounding redness can be treated at home, as long as you don't have other symptoms (like a fever). Here are some steps to follow three times a day:

• Gently clean the cut with soap and warm water.

• Place a warm washcloth on the cut for 10 minutes.

• Apply OTC antibiotic ointment.

• Cover the cut with a bandage.

If your cut doesn't heal, if the redness spreads, or if you continue to have pain, you should get medical care.

When to see a healthcare professional

If you've cut or injured yourself, you may be wondering if you need to call a healthcare professional or if you might even need to get stitches. You can safely take care of many types of wounds at home. But sometimes you need a professional. After cleaning and inspecting the wound, go to urgent care or the emergency room (ER) if:

• The wound is more than ½ inch long.

• You can see deeper layers of the skin.

• You can see tendons, muscles, or bones.

• The wound still has glass, wood, dirt, or other material in it.

• The wound is still bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure.

• The wound is over a joint that moves a lot, like your elbow or knee.

• The wound is on a delicate area like your hands, face, feet, or genitals.

• You have diabetes.

• You are immunocompromised.

• You were bitten by an animal or a human.

Any of the warning signs of infection listed above - like warmth, redness, pain, and fever - could be signs that your wound is infected. You should talk to a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Risks of infected wounds

It's not safe to ignore an infected wound. An infected wound can lead to:

• Cellulitis:Cellulitis is when the deeper tissue under your wound becomes infected. It can happen any time the skin is broken, even from a small scrape or bug bite. Cellulitis can often be treated at home with antibiotics. But, in some cases, you may need to stay in the hospital.

• Septicemia: Septicemia (blood poisoning) is when the infection enters your bloodstream. This can lead to serious problems in other parts of your body like your heart, brain, and bones. Just like cellulitis, septicemia needs to be treated with antibiotics.

• Sepsis:Sepsis is a severe, body-wide reaction that can happen in response to an infection. It's not an infection itself, but instead an overreaction to an infection somewhere in your body. If sepsis isn't treated, it can lead to severe sepsis and septic shock. These can cause major organ damage, long-term health problems, and even death.

If you're worried about a wound, Huston said you "should not delay seeking medical treatment." This is especially important since some types of wounds can be "highly aggressive and even fatal."

Frequently asked questions