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First aid – Find out what to do in case of minor accidents – and how to treat and heal minor wounds as fast and efficient as possible

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All you need to know
about first aid

First Aid - first measures

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Do you have a well-stocked first aid kit?

Accidents can happen, and when they do it is important to keep a cool head. Not everyone is accustomed to seeing blood, and sometimes even something harmless such as cutting vegetables in the kitchen can lead to a deep cut that will bleed profusely. Knowing how to react when and having a well-stocked first aid kit at home and in your car will help you be prepared.

YOU CAN‘T PREVENT ACCIDENTS,
BUT YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD
FIRST AID KIT AT HAND

8 Golden Rules of First Aid

Stay calm.
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Check whether your surroundings are safe. Don’t put yourself or the injured person at risk.
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Decide if you or the injured person needs medical aid; ask for advice if not sure.
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Reassure the injured person, if they are severely injured and under shock, and keep them warm. Stay with the injured person, keep them comfortable and don’t move them if you suspect an injury to the back or neck. Call for medical help in that case.
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Tell the medical experts as much information about the accident and symptoms as you can. Also, if you know about allergies or blood group or vaccinations or medical condition of the person (i.e. if they are on medication)
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Wash your hands before attending to the wound and wear disposable gloves to protect yourself and to prevent infections.
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Clean the wound carefully, wiping away any dirt and grit. Use a clean cotton cloth with a disinfectant or rinse with cold water, then pat area dry before applying a clean dressing. Do not remove embedded objects, leave that to medical staff.
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Keep your first aid kit up to date. Do not forget to replace any items you use from your first aid kit and check expiry dates regularly. Check the Elastoplast selection here (Solutions) or find inspiration here.
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When do I need a doctor? When to seek medical advice

Most minor cuts and bruises can be treated effectively with a first-aid kit. (see: TREATMENT). But how do you know if an injury needs closer attention?
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We recommend to contact a medical professional in the following circumstances:
  • if the wound is deep and causes major bleeding
  • if the wound shows signs of infection such as redness, warmth, pain and swelling
  • if there are embedded foreign objects
  • in case of an animal or human bite or
  • in case of contact with animal blood
  • if the wound is in the area of the face
  • if there is insufficient tetanus vaccination
  • and of course any time you have questions or are uncertain
Recommendation: Also, seek medical advice in case of breathing problems, unconsciousness, a deep wound with a major loss of blood, a severe burn, a suspected fracture or broken bone a suspected heart attack, a severe allergic reaction, a snake, animal bite or human bite, poisoning, severe shock, any condition which turns rapidly worse.

Treatment

Easy-to-follow tips
and advice

The golden rule for minor wounds:

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Clean

Wash your hands and check if your wound needs cleaning too. If small objects are embedded (sand, glass etc.) remove with a dry clean cloth or rinse under water.
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Disinfect

Cleaning the wound won‘t hurt with the mild disinfecting wound spray. Usually it is recommended to disinfect the graze or abrasion.
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Protect

Now for the right wound dressing: See whether you need a bandage or a plaster. Elastoplast offers a wide range for every need and in every size and texture - invisible or extra durable.
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Expert Tip - Why wound dressing?

Even if an accident always happens out of the blue, you should take your time to dress your wound instead of letting it dry. Why? Because this will create optimum conditions for undisturbed and fast healing of your skin.
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Dr. Rainer Wolber, Research & Development, Beiersdorf AG
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All the functions of a plaster © Elastoplast

“In every wound the protective function of the skin is impaired. The objective of wound dressings is not only to protect the wound, but also to enable conditions in which healing of the skin can proceed as undisturbed as possible, so that the skin’s healthy structure can be restored.

“A PLASTER WILL PROTECT YOUR
WOUND AND IMPROVE
THE HEALING PROCESS
OF YOUR SKIN.”

In the treatment of minor everyday injuries, standard first aid dressings and plasters...

• protect your wound from external influences and prevent contamination and infection.
• ensure absorption of blood and secretion,
• reduce pain and mechanical trauma to a minimum during dressing removal and improve your comfort.“

Find out what moist wound healing plasters can do to ensure better healing.

Solutions

Elastoplast products
that might help

First choice for first aid: Some products that might help