Pressure | Home Remedies | Products | After-Care | When To Seek Medical Assistance | The Impact of Bloodthinners | Sample a Professional-Grade Hemostat
Let’s face it: nicks, cuts and scrapes are a part of life. But when they happen, it can be painful, inconvenient, and sometimes even panic-inducing — especially if you’re on blood thinners. Below are tips, tricks and home remedies to stop bleeding fast.
THE BASICS
1 - Apply pressure first!
Most nicks and cuts should stop bleeding completely from pressure alone. To do this, simply press a clean cloth (tissue or gauze) to the wound and hold it there firmly for a few minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after five minutes . . .
2- HOME REMEDIES
ANTIPERSPIRANT
Most antiperspirant deodorants contain aluminum which can cause the tissue to contract to help stop blood flow. Rub the stick directly on your cut, or smear some onto a cotton ball and apply pressure.
ASPIRIN
Applying a paste of aspirin and water can help stop bleeding. To make the paste, dissolve an aspirin tablet in a teaspoon of water. Apply the paste to the wound using a clean cotton ball.
BLACK & CAYENNE PEPPER
If you don’t mind a little stinging, black and cayenne pepper can be used to shrink and seal up a wound. Sprinkle some directly onto the cut. Once it stops bleeding, rinse the pepper off with cold water.
HOT OR COLD WATER
Running water not only cleans a wound, it will help stop the bleeding. It doesn’t matter if the water is hot or cold, it just matters that you settle on one or the other as alternating increases bleeding.
CORNSTARCH, FLOUR, AND SUGAR
Simply pour a little out on a spoon and press or sprinkle some directly onto the cut. Remember to rinse the area when the bleeding has stopped.
PETROLEUM JELLY AND LIP BALM
The waxy texture of petroleum jelly and lip balm helps seal off a cut, allowing time for a blood clot to form.
WITCH HAZEL
Witch hazel will cause blood vessels to constrict and can reduce swelling and pain. Pour a small amount over your cut or dab it with a clean cotton ball to stop bleeding.
MOUTH WASH
Some of the first mouthwashes started as surgical disinfectants. Pour a small amount over the cut to stop the blood flow and disinfect the wound.
3- PRODUCTS MADE TO STOP BLEEDING
ALUM BLOCK & STYPTIC PENCILS
Alum blocks must be wet and styptic pencils are chalk-like sticks that are best for spot treatments. Both work by shrinking the skin’s tissue and stymieing the flow of blood.
CELLULOSE PRODUCTS
Cellulose is the main component of the cell walls of green plants. When the cellulose gauze is placed over a bleeding wound, a gel forms to seal off the cut and provides a protective transparent layer.
COLLAGEN PRODUCTS
Collagen-based wound dressings are derived from animal sources such as cattle, horse, or pig. When placed over a wound the collagen attracts platelets to the injured skin.
INERT POWDERS
Similar to home remedies like cornstarch, flour, and sugar, inert powders are mixed with the blood from the wound. This allows the powder to absorb moisture in the blood and form a blood clot at the injury site.
CHITOSAN PRODUCTS
Chitosan has been used for decades by medical professionals, including the U.S. military, to stop bleeding fast. It comes from a natural substance in shellfish, prevents infections and speeds wound healing. Chitosan works when the body cannot stop bleeding itself.
4- AFTER-CARE | WHEN THE BLEEDING STOPS
Proper follow-up care is essential to avoid infection or other complications.
These guidelines can help you care for a wound after you’ve stopped the bleeding:
Change the dressing at least daily, or whenever it becomes wet or dirty. Watch the
wound as it’s healing. If it grows red, warm or inflamed, seek medical care immediately.
WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
- The bleeding is severe
- You suspect internal bleeding
- There is an abdominal or chest wound
- The cut is deep and wide
- Bleeding continues after 10 minutes
- Blood spurts outside of the wound
THE IMPACT OF BLOOD THINNERS
Medications like warfarin, heparin and aspirin don’t really thin the blood, but they do slow down the time it takes for a blood clot to form, causing nuisance bleeding that can lead to unwanted ER visits.
TRY A PROFESSIONAL-GRADE HEMOSTAT
All of these methods to stop bleeding are effective. If you are looking for a way to Stop Bleeding Quick Like The ProsTM, make sure to check out AllaQuix® High Performance Stop Bleeding Gauze!