How do I care for my scratch?

Scratches are smaller injuries that result from a semi-sharp object scraping against your skin, forming a shallow perforated incision. You can care for a scratch by keeping it clean and covered with a bandage or antibiotic ointment.

While caring for your scratch, you should check regularly for signs of infection. Signs of infection include redness spreading from the wound site, increasing pain, drainage, warmth, swelling and a bad odor. If you experience any sign of infection, you should contact your doctor.