I’ve been having this debate with someone who is a bit of a germaphobe in my view.

Say I have a paper cut on my finger. It’s deep enough to bleed initially, but it stops within a couple minutes. Maybe I need a bandaid at first, but after a day or 2, it is past the point where it starts bleeding again if I accidentally hit it or rub it on something. A couple days on, it still has the little flap of skin on it. Later, that goes away, but you can still see where it was. Finally, there is no trace. At what point in this process is the wound effectively closed?

When can you resume normal activities (dish washing, food prep, go in a pool/hot tub, have a dog lick your hand) and not worry about infection?

  • mommykink
    9•1 year ago

    A wound is open for as long as it’s bleeding. For something like a papercut, this should be just a few minutes for most healthy adults. If you mess with the scab, the wound can be re-opened, though.

    when can you resume normal activities

    As long as you’re not actively bleeding and take the smallest precautions (wear a bandaid), you should be able to resume these within minutes

    • @lillardfairOP
      2•1 year ago

      Thanks, this is how I’ve always operated, but the person I’ve debated this with is so entrenched it makes me wonder if I’ve just been sloppy and getting lucky.