How to quickly heal open wounds on the face

Open wounds on the face can be quite bothersome as they are harder to conceal compared to other parts of the body. These wounds may result from acne, cold sores, or friction. To speed up healing, you need to keep the area clean, moisturized, and avoid causing further irritation.

Wash your hands. Before touching or treating wounds on your face, it’s important to wash your hands. Use warm water and antibacterial soap, and then dry with a clean towel. Avoid touching anything after washing your hands to keep them free from contaminants.

• If you touch an open wound with unclean hands, dirt and germs from your hands can enter the wound and delay the healing process.

Clean the wound. Cleanse the wound on your face with warm water. Avoid using hot water as it can cause the wound to bleed again. Do not use soap as it may irritate the wound. Make sure to remove any dirt and debris from the wound.

• Cleaning the wound also helps eliminate bacteria that could cause infection.

Apply ointment. Keeping the wound moisturized will speed up the healing process. You can use Vaseline or an antibiotic ointment. Use a clean finger or cotton swab to apply the ointment.

Cover the wound with a bandage. Open wounds are very vulnerable as they often come into contact with dust, dirt, and other pollutants that can lead to infection. To protect the wound on your face and promote faster healing, cover it with a bandage.

• Try to use breathable bandages like gauze. This will allow the wound to be exposed to air and heal faster.
• Medical bandages can also help retain moisture, which aids in quicker healing.

Keep the skin around the wound clean. To protect the wound and prevent infection, you need to keep the skin around it clean. You can use a facial cleanser or antibacterial soap to wash your face.

• You should also dry the area around the wound after cleaning and keep the skin dry.

Watch for signs of infection. Open wounds are prone to infection, so it's important to monitor them closely. Symptoms of infection include redness, swelling, or warmth around the wound. Pus or any colored discharge leaking from the wound are also indicators of infection.

• You may also experience fever, chills, or fatigue if the infection worsens and spreads. Seek medical attention if any of these symptoms occur.
• Uncomplicated infections on the face can sometimes lead to cellulitis, an infection in the deeper layers of the skin and underlying tissue, which can cause serious complications if untreated. Pay attention to redness, pain, swelling, and yellow or green pus.

See a doctor if you have a medical condition. Some individuals take longer to heal or are at higher risk of complications due to infection, such as those with obesity, diabetes, poor circulation due to arteriosclerosis, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or high stress.

• If you fall into any of these categories, visit your doctor for an assessment of your facial wounds. A doctor can help recommend the best treatment plan for you.

Seek medical attention for deep facial wounds. Minor wounds can typically be treated at home. However, if you have deep wounds with jagged or uneven edges, if the wound cannot be closed or cleaned properly, or if it requires stitches to bring the skin edges together to avoid infection, you should see a doctor.

• If the wound continues to bleed, seek medical care as this is a sign of a more severe injury.
• Additionally, if the skin around the wound becomes swollen, red, and painful to the touch, you may need antibiotics.

Take antiviral medication for cold sores (herpes simplex). If your facial wound is caused by cold sores, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medication to treat the condition. These medications may come in pill or cream form, with pills generally working faster than creams.

• If you prefer not to see a doctor, you can buy over-the-counter cold sore creams.

Relieve pressure from the wounded area. Some facial wounds are caused by delicate skin being pressed or rubbed. The culprit may be an oxygen tube or even eyeglasses. If this is the cause of the wound, remove these items for a while, especially while the wound is healing.

• If you're unsure how to adjust the way you wear glasses or the oxygen tube, consult your doctor.

Increase protein intake. Your diet can impact your body’s natural healing ability. To help speed up the healing of facial wounds, increase your protein intake. Try adding meat, dairy, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables to your meals.

• Lean meats are rich in protein. You can eat chicken breast, fish, pork, eggs, or lean beef.
• Dairy products also contain a significant amount of protein. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and low-fat cheese can be good snack options to boost protein intake.
• Whole grains like quinoa and wheat germ are high in protein, similar to black beans, lentils, soybeans, kidney beans, or chickpeas. You can also get protein from leafy greens like spinach or broccoli.
• Avoid processed foods that may cause inflammation and hinder the healing process.

Take supplements. A great way to support wound healing is by using supplements that include vitamins such as C, B, D, and E. Fish oil and zinc are also known to promote healing and help prevent skin infections.

Don't pick scabs on the wound. When the open wound begins to form a scab, avoid picking it off, as this can slow down the healing process and lead to scarring. Let the scab stay in place.

• Continue applying Vaseline to the wound to keep the scab moisturized.

Avoid harsh solutions on facial wounds. When treating facial wounds, refrain from washing with harsh solutions. These can damage tissue, irritate the wound, and slow down the healing process.

• Do not use disinfectants, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine on the wound.

Avoid excessive facial muscle movement. While the wound is healing, try to minimize the movement of the muscles around the injury. Movements can irritate and stretch the wound, which may slow the healing process.

• Avoid laughing, chewing, or speaking with strong facial movements. Be gentle while the wound is recovering.

Apply ice. If there is swelling around the wound, try applying ice. Use a cold compress or wrap some ice in a cloth and apply it to the area for 10-20 minutes. You can repeat this several times throughout the day.

• Never apply ice directly to the wound; cold burns can occur on your face.

Avoid heat on the wound. To reduce irritation and swelling around the wound, avoid applying heat to the area. Do not wash your face with hot water or take hot showers. Also, refrain from using hot compresses, eating spicy foods, or drinking hot liquids.

Apply chamomile tea compresses. Chamomile flowers have healing properties due to their antibacterial and antibiotic effects. Soak a piece of cloth in warm chamomile tea and apply it to the wound.

• You can also directly apply a cool chamomile tea bag to the wound.

Try using aloe vera. Aloe vera can be applied to treat wounds due to its healing properties. You can try using an ointment containing aloe vera or cut a piece of aloe vera leaf and apply the gel side directly onto the wound.

Apply tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is an essential oil with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. To use it on a wound, add 2 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of warm water. Dip a cotton ball into the solution and gently dab it onto the wound.

• Tea tree oil is very strong, so be sure to dilute it with water.
• It’s advisable to test the tea tree oil on a small patch of skin before applying it to the wound. Some people may be sensitive to tea tree oil.

Use essential oils. Other essential oils can also aid in wound healing. Mix a few drops of one of these oils with a carrier oil like olive oil or almond oil.

• Essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, clove, rosemary, and Roman chamomile have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, acting as disinfectants and promoting wound healing.