Causes and types of scrapes Scrapes (abrasions) are skin wounds
that rub or tear off skin. Most scrapes are shallow and do not
extend far into the skin, but some may remove several layers of
skin. Usually there is little bleeding from a scrape, but it may
ooze pinkish fluid. Most scrapes are minor, so home treatment is
usually all that is needed to care for the wound. Scrapes occur
most often in warm weather or warm climates when the skin on the
arms and legs is more exposed. They are most commonly caused by
accidents or falls but can occur anytime the skin is rubbed
against a hard surface, such as the ground, a sidewalk, a
carpet, an artificial playing surface, or a road (road rash).
School-age children ages 5 to 9 are most affected. Scrapes can
occur on any part of the body but usually affect bony areas,
such as the hands, forearms, elbows, knees, or shins. Scrapes on
the head or face may appear worse than they are and bleed a lot
because of the good blood supply to this area. Controlling the
bleeding will