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| Abrasion (medical) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abrasion on the palm of a right hand, shortly after falling | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine  |
Anabrasion is a partial thicknesswound caused by damage to theskin.[1] It can be superficial, which involves only the epidermis, or deep, which involves the deep dermis. Abrasions usually involve minimal bleeding.[2] Mild abrasions, also known asgrazes orscrapes, do notscar 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 anavulsion.
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.
The abrasion should be cleaned and any debris removed. A topicalantibiotic (such asneomycin orbacitracin) should be applied to prevent infection and to keep the wound moist.[3] Dressing the wound is beneficial because it helps keep the wound from drying out, providing a moist environment conducive forhealing.[4] If the abrasion is painful, a topicalanalgesic (such aslidocaine orbenzocaine) can be applied, but for large abrasions, a systemic analgesic may be necessary.[3] Avoid exposing abraded skin to the sun as permanenthyperpigmentation can develop.
The gallery below shows the healing process for an abrasion on the palm caused by sliding on concrete.
