Must-Have Wound Care Supplies for Your First Aid Box

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April 5, 2021

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Published by Universal Medical on April 5, 2021

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Accidents and injuries can occur anytime without warning, and a well-stocked first aid box is what you will need first and

Must-Have Wound Care Supplies for Your First Aid Box
Accidents and injuries can occur anytime without warning, and a well-stocked first aid box is what you will need first and foremost. It is your one and only survival gear for situations that require immediate medical attention, be it at home or while you are travelling.

It is imperative for you to have a ready-to-use first aid kit at all times, with all the essential items that would assist you when dealing with a sudden medical emergency.

Here are some must-have wound care supplies that should always be a part of your first aid box.

1. Antiseptic Wash
The next best thing to soap and water for cleaning wounds is an antiseptic wash that helps remove all the dirt particles from a wound. It is basically a pain-relieving liquid that kills germs, prevents infections, and alleviates the pain caused by scrapes, cuts, bruises, and burns. The ideal way to use it is to apply a moderate amount on the affected area and cover it with a sterile bandage.

2. Scissors
Scissors can often come in very handy especially when you have to bandage a wound. It can be used for various purposes like cutting medical tape, trimming a gauze pad, or removing the excess of a bandage. It is best to invest in a pair of curved medical scissors which are safer and easier to use than the regular scissors that you might have at home.

3. Gauze Pads

These are possibly one of the most essential medical care items that you must always have in your aid box. It is one of the most widely and commonly used wound care dressing and is made from a bleached white cotton, polyester or rayon fabric. Gauze pads are used to cover a wound and stop it from bleeding, particularly when adhesive bandages don’t work.

4. Adhesive Medical Tape

Also referred to as band-aid, these medical tapes are used when dealing with minor injuries like scrapes, blisters and cuts. It is basically a flexible sheet of material, sticky on one side with an absorbent pad attached to it. They help protect the wound from further damage, dirt and friction. These tapes come in various shapes and sizes but the butterfly shaped ones are ideal to use since they manage to hold two sides of a wound together perfectly.

5. Instant Cold Packs
Much to your surprise, instant cold packs are the new in thing and are the best substitutes for ice. Since you can’t possibly carry ice with you everywhere, these packs are a life-saver in times when you need to ice a wound to decrease swelling or ease any itching coming from bites and stings. What makes them ‘instant’ is that they turn icy when you shake or bend the pad. However, you should have plenty of those in your kit because they aren’t reusable and should be disposed after the first use.

6. Antibiotic Ointment

These ointments are mostly used to apply on a wound before covering it with a gauze pad or an adhesive bandage. They are applied directly on a wound to stop the bacteria from growing and spreading the infection any further.

You should always check these supplies for expiration dates and ensure they are sterile and clean. As they say, safety first and prevention is always better than cure. Also, invest in good-quality medical equipment and supplies which you can get from trusted suppliers like Universal Medical Supply Store.