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" Reader Question: When I get a cut, should I put a bandage on it right away or does &amp;quot;airing it out&amp;quot; help it heal faster? For optimum healing, the edges of the wound need to touch. If it&amp;#039;s a sizable injury but not big enough to warrant stitches (call your doctor if you&amp;#039;re not sure), you&amp;#039;ll probably want to use Steri-Strips, which are strong adhesive skin closure strips. If a cut is small, you don&amp;#039;t necessarily need to cover it with a bandage, but it depends on where it is on your body. If it&amp;#039;s in a place that&amp;#039;s likely to get bumped or irritated by clothing, you should keep it covered. You&amp;#039;ll also want to keep cuts covered if they&amp;#039;re going to be exposed to direct sun or very likely to get dirty (like if you&amp;#039;re working in the yard). Your skin is especially sensitive when it&amp;#039;s healing, and protecting it from the sun reduces the chances of getting a scar. Applying antibiotic ointment can also help minimize scarring by keeping the skin moist\u2014but you don&amp;#039;t want it to get too wet (so be sure to change bandages after you shower). If a wound does not seem to be healing properly, get it checked out to make sure it&amp;#039;s not infected. I want to hear from you, so e-mail me your questions at dailywd@womansday.com.  Disclaimer: Your seeking information on health related topics and/or Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD&amp;#039;s providing such information herein constitutes neither the solicitation of nor the provision of medical advice, services, care or treatment. Communication with Dr. Fryhofer on this website does not create a doctor/patient relationship. For concerns about your own particular medical condition, you should consult your own medical professional, who can examine and evaluate you. Communication on a website is not a substitute for taking an active role in your own medical care and treatment and being personally seen by a physician of choice in your area.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/a42204/wound-care-5629/>