Once you fall victim to a cut, scrape or burn, it’s too late to run to the drugstore or set up an order online You need immediate help and have to use what you have in the cabinet.

It’s best to plan ahead for both minor and major injuries, and stock up ahead of time. Your family will thank you for remembering that ounce of prevention when the time comes for the cure. You order many items as a group, and some are quite hard to find at the local pharmacy.

We’ll start with the common you may already own. New technologies and breakthroughs have brought us a world of non-hurt you may never have seen or thought of. You can shorten healing times and keep out infections in new and better ways. Let’s look over a wound care supplies list to have at home.

10. Antiseptics

Some of these are staples of the medicine cabinet. Some may be drying, like isopropyl alcohol. Others, like iodine, are not, but can stain. Wound care antiseptics are important for initial care and cleaning.

You can find them at many shops, including supermarkets. Take care not to run out, they often go quickly.

9. Antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers

Before you take care of that scratch, make sure your hands are clean. Those little bottles you see at the checkout counter can be useful when you’re about to tend to an injury. They usually contain ethyl alcohol. Avoid bar soap, since it can tend to hold bacteria on its surface. Use liquids instead. You may also want to wear gloves.

8. Wound cleaners

These are especially good for deeper cuts and burns. They often appear in spray form, in rinse and no-rinse varieties. They are solutions that contain wetting agents, anti-microbials and moisturizers, and should be used whenever you change a dressing. They get rid of debris, contaminants, and whatever needs removing without killing live cells in your skin. They often contain topical analgesics to help prevent pain.

7. Off-the-shelf bandages

From every variety of sick-on pads. They come in bright colors, or fabric, or sport varieties, in shapes designed for fingers. There’s gauze and tape if you need a bigger coverage area, but it’s often hard to get the fit just right. Minor hurts will likely heal with these.

6. Antibacterial ointments and creams

These are messy, and hard to contain underneath bandages, and may make them lose their grip. You might try pads that have common topical antibiotics embedded, which can avoid the gooey mess.

5. Hydrocolloid Dressings

The first or the specialized dressings on the list, these transparent or opaque foams or films form gels. An adhesive holds it all together in a waterproof barrier that sticks –to healthy skin only. You can apply them easily to uninfected wet or dry injuries. They’re extremely flexible and they keep microbes out.

4. Collagen

Collagen and other biological dressings form a barrier to bacteria and best mimic natural skin covering. They don’t provoke immune responses, they cause no pain, and they’re hypo-allergenic. They’re especially good for burns and chronic conditions.

3. Alginate Layers

Alginate dressings are generally derived from acids processed from seaweed. Their fibers are also gel-forming and remove debris and dead tissue. They absorb many times their volume in liquid, which can help with a weeping sore. They must be covered over, since they do their work directly in contact.

2. Fillers

Most of these specialty coverings also come in the form of fillers to protect an open laceration. Combine them with the protective strip of your choice.

1. Hydrogel Dressings

These compounds are mostly made up of water that’s suspended in a gel. They help with the fluid exchange during the healing process by keeping the tissue moist. They’re good for minor burns and dry wounds, and keep out air and bacteria.

by Catalogs.com Info Guru Roger DeGennaro