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An abrasion is a partial thickness
wound A wound is a rapid onset of injury that involves lacerated or punctured skin (an ''open'' wound), or a contusion (a ''closed'' wound) from blunt force trauma or compression. In pathology, a ''wound'' is an acute injury that damages the epider ...
caused by damage to the
skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
and can be superficial involving only the epidermis to deep, involving the deep dermis. Abrasions usually involve minimal bleeding.McCurnin, D.M. & Bassert, J. M. (2010) Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. 7th Edition. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier. pg 1243-1244 Mild abrasions, also known as ''grazes'' or ''scrapes'', do not
scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a ...
or bleed because the dermis is left intact, but deep abrasions that disrupt the normal dermal structures may lead to the formation of scar tissue. A more traumatic abrasion that removes all layers of skin is called an avulsion. Abrasion injuries most commonly occur when exposed skin comes into moving contact with a rough surface, causing a grinding or rubbing away of the upper layers of the epidermis.


By degree

* A first-degree abrasion involves only epidermal injury. * A second-degree abrasion involves the epidermis as well as the dermis and may bleed slightly. * A third-degree abrasion involves damage to the subcutaneous layer and the skin and is often called an '' avulsion''.


Treatment

The abrasion should be cleaned and any debris removed. A topical
antibiotic An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...
(such as
neomycin Neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that displays bactericidal activity against gram-negative aerobic bacilli and some anaerobic bacilli where resistance has not yet arisen. It is generally not effective against gram-positive bacilli and ...
or
bacitracin Bacitracin is a polypeptide antibiotic. It is a mixture of related cyclic peptides produced by ''Bacillus licheniformis'' bacteria, that was first isolated from the variety "Tracy I" ( ATCC 10716) in 1945. These peptides disrupt Gram-positive bac ...
) should be applied to prevent infection and to keep the wound moist.Kidd, P. S., Sturt, P. A., & Fultz, J. (2000). ''Mosby's emergency nursing reference'' (2nd ed.). St. Louis: Mosby, Inc. Dressing the wound is beneficial because it helps keep the wound from drying out, providing a moist environment conducive for
healing With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells ...
.Abrasions: Merck Manual Online
/ref> If the abrasion is painful, a topical
analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...
(such as
lidocaine Lidocaine, also known as lignocaine and sold under the brand name Xylocaine among others, is a local anesthetic of the amino amide type. It is also used to treat ventricular tachycardia. When used for local anaesthesia or in nerve blocks, lid ...
or
benzocaine Benzocaine, sold under the brand name Orajel amongst others, is an ester local anesthetic commonly used as a topical pain reliever or in cough drops. It is the active ingredient in many over-the-counter anesthetic ointments such as products ...
) can be applied, but for large abrasions, a systemic analgesic may be necessary. Avoid exposing abraded skin to the sun as permanent
hyperpigmentation Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of an area of skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Causes Hyperpigmentation can be caused by sun damage, inflammation, or other skin injuries, including those related to acne vulgaris.James, William; Be ...
can develop.


Healing

The gallery below shows the healing process for an abrasion on the palm caused by sliding on concrete. File:Hand Abrasion - 32 minutes after injury.JPG, 32 minutes after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 16 hours 45 minutes after injury.JPG, 17 hours after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 1 day 19 hours 32 minutes after injury.JPG, 43 hours after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 2 days 22 hours 12 minutes after injury.JPG, 3 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 12 days 23 hours 24 minutes after injury.JPG, 13 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 13 days 15 hours 30 minutes after injury.JPG, 14 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 17 days 11 hours 30 minutes after injury.JPG, 17 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 18 days 11 hours 43 minutes after injury.JPG, 18 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 21 days 18 hours 21 minutes after injury.JPG, 22 days after injury File:Hand Abrasion - 30 days 4 hours 43 minutes after injury.JPG, 30 days after injury


See also

*
Chafing (skin) Chafing is an irritation of skin caused by friction, moisture or irritating fabric. Prolonged rubbing on the skin may result in skin sting or burn, and development of a mild, red rash; and in severe cases may include swelling, bleeding, or crusti ...
*
List of cutaneous conditions Many skin conditions affect the human integumentary system—the organ system covering the entire surface of the body and composed of skin, hair, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this system is as a barrier agai ...
*
Contusion A bruise, also known as a contusion, is a type of hematoma of tissue, the most common cause being capillaries damaged by trauma, causing localized bleeding that extravasates into the surrounding interstitial tissues. Most bruises occur clos ...
*
Laceration A wound is a rapid onset of injury that involves lacerated or punctured skin (an ''open'' wound), or a contusion (a ''closed'' wound) from blunt force trauma or compression. In pathology, a ''wound'' is an acute injury that damages the epid ...


References


External links

{{Authority control Skin conditions resulting from physical factors