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5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected

how to tell if a cut is infected

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5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected

You can tell a cut may be infected when the skin becomes red, warm, swollen, and more painful, especially if the redness spreads. Pus, an unpleasant smell, or discharge can also point to infection. These signs matter more when they worsen instead of improving.

Look at the skin around the cut. Redness and swelling may spread beyond the wound. Pus can look whitish, yellowish, or greenish, and it may smell bad. Increasing tenderness, warmth, and pain add to the concern.

Some signs affect the whole body. Fever and body aches can happen with a more severe infection. Red streaky lines that lead away from the wound toward the heart are a serious sign that needs immediate medical attention.

See a doctor if the redness or pain keeps getting worse, if liquids come out of the cut, or if the wound does not heal. People with weakened immune systems need to seek medical advice promptly, including people who take steroids over a long period.

Pay close attention to changes over time. A cut that becomes more red, swollen, warm, painful, or filled with foul smelling pus needs medical attention, especially when fever, body aches, or red streaks appear.

Infection signs

  1. Redness and swelling Redness may spread beyond the area right around the cut.
  2. Pus or discharge Pus may look whitish, yellowish, or greenish and can have a foul smell.
  3. Warmth and increasing pain The area may feel warm while the cut becomes more painful or tender.
  4. Fever and body aches These can appear when the infection is more severe.
  5. Red streaks Red lines leading away from the wound toward the heart need immediate medical attention.
5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected — infographic

Visual and Sensory Cues

Redness and Swelling: The skin around an infected cut will typically be red and swollen, and this redness may spread beyond the immediate wound area. "Skin around the cut is red"
Pus or Discharge: Infected cuts often produce pus, which can appear whitish, yellowish, or greenish, and may have a foul odor. "Swelling, smell and color. It'll be swollen, filled with puss. It'll smell nasty, due to the puss. And be whitish in color, again from the puss."
Warmth and Pain: The area around an infected wound may feel warm to the touch, and the cut itself will likely be increasingly painful or tender. "If the redness is spreading, pain increasing and feels warm to the touch, it may be infected."

Systemic Signs

Fever and Aches: In more severe cases, an infection can lead to systemic symptoms like fever or general body aches. "Keep your eyes out for fever, body aches, and red streaky lines leading away from the wound."
Red Streaks: Red streaks emanating from the wound, moving towards the heart, are a serious sign of infection requiring immediate medical attention. "There’s a red line moving towards your heart"

When to Seek Medical Attention

Worsening Symptoms: If symptoms like redness or pain worsen, or if the wound is not healing, it's advisable to see a doctor. "If it keep getting more red, chronic pain or liquids coming out see a doctor."
Compromised Immune System: Individuals with weakened immune systems due to chronic conditions or medications like steroids should be particularly cautious and seek medical advice promptly. "If you take steroids chronically... your body may not react as it would normally. Using it chronically may suppress your immune system."

Are you experiencing any of these signs with your cut?

Bottom line

Signs of an infected cut include redness, warmth, swelling, pus, and pain, often accompanied by an unpleasant smell.

Community answers 23

What others in the community said:

89% upvoted

Unfortunately don’t know how it happened due to some over indulgence in alcohol. Happened last night. My guess is I won’t know until a few days, but it does slightly burn every now and then.

5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected — image shared in an answer
100% upvoted

I won't add photos but I need to know because I'm too scared to tell my parents right now. Can anyone help with this? Xx stay safe💗

100% upvoted

Fell off my bike in the rain and had this cut for 5 days. Searched it up online people say the yellow liquid is sign of infection but idk. There's also some fellow buildup around the circle cut. Is this infected?

5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected — image shared in an answer
86% upvoted

Stabbed myself with my chef's knife about a week ago. It was clean as far as I can tell. Wound was healing up fine, but started noticing the red/white part a couple of days ago. Thanks for the help!

UPDATE: Thanks everyone. Of all the cuts, scrapes, and what not I've had in my life (41M), this is the first one that has been infected. My doctor prescribed me Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim DS for the infection.

5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected — image shared in an answer

It does look irritated to me, if the redness is spreading, pain increasing and feels warm to the touch, it may be infected. As you do not know how you got it, it may also be a good idea to get a tetanus shot if you’ve not had that in the last 10 years.

Yes, it does. You need to at least put some antiseptic cream on it and bandage it. Covering it should also help keep you from picking at it. But if it gets any worse GO TO THE DOCTOR. Your mum loves you and wants you to be healthy. 🥰

infected cuts will have discoloration and often irregular discharge. they will be itchy, irritated, and painful.

Looks big enough to seek actual medical attention. Not a doctor but I’d see a doctor if I were you.

100% upvoted

I cut myself while shaving my ankle 6 days ago and the wound looks like this now. It is quite small but didn’t stop bleeding for 4+ hours when I did it, and it now looks like this and is painful. Any advice? Thank you!

5 Ways to Tell if a Cut Is Infected — image shared in an answer

Yes. Keep your eyes out for fever, body aches, and red streaky lines leading away from the wound. If any of these occur, seek immediate medical attention. Like. Immediate. Put a circle around where you see the redness and if it grows, seek urgent although not immediate medical care. Urgent care or same day doctors.

You're worried enough about it to ask users

Yep, it sounds infected. Clean with peroxide, blow on it to ease the sting, then antibiotic and a bandaid. Finally, a kiss to make it better. Take care of yourself.

What they said - and force yourself to leave it alone. No more picking! I know its hard, but get something else in your hands that will occupy them will help.

100% upvoted

Hi Mum. So last week I got a papercut - no big deal, but I have a really bad habit of picking at any small cuts I get, and so now it's like a circular wound, it's probably around half a centimetre in diameter. If anything it's just getting bigger because I keep picking at it - it's not healing at all, and I'm actually getting quite worried as it's quite painful and hasn't scabbed over or anything at all. I thought about taking a picture - but I don't know how to upload them and it's probably pretty gross!

The reason I'm worried is that sometimes the like skin in the 'hole' of the wound looks kinda a grey-ish colour, and also my skin around the cut is all red and swollen, and is really painful when I touch it. Whenever I have spoken to my therapist about the way I pick at cuts like this before she has always expressed concern that it might be infected. It's never looked like this before - particularly the swollen-ness. Does it sound like it might be infected? And what do I even do if it is?

Skin around wound is hot to the touch, you have a fever, there’s a red line moving towards your heart

it doesn't look infected, just fresh. but if it keep getting more red, chronic pain or liquids coming out see a doctor.

If you take steroids chronically (not just nasally but orally), and in high doses, your body may not react as it would normally. Using it chronically may suppress your immune system. Also, the antibiotics you take may not be the right ones for bacteria on your skin, and using that chronically may cause bacteria to become resistant. So while these may help you with your sinus infections, it doesn’t necessarily make you stronger or help you when/if this wound gets infected. I would discuss this with your pcp, they know exactly what you’re taking and can make some adjustments if necessary.

Does it smell like your asshole?

Tell Maura Nolan Carroll 

I’m not a doctor, but it looks infected to me

Skin around the cut is red
Swelling, smell and color. It'll be swollen, filled with puss. It'll smell nasty, due to the puss. And be whitish in color, again from the puss.
If you take steroids chronically... your body may not react as it would normally. Using it chronically may suppress your immune system.

Related questions

What does an infected cut look like?
The skin around the cut may look red and swollen, with redness that spreads beyond the wound. The cut may also have whitish, yellowish, or greenish pus and an unpleasant smell.
Is warmth and increasing pain a sign of an infected cut?
Yes. A cut that feels warm and becomes more painful or tender, especially when redness spreads, may be infected.
When should I see a doctor for an infected cut?
See a doctor when redness or pain worsens, liquids come out, or the wound does not heal. Seek immediate medical attention for red streaks leading away from the wound toward the heart, and seek medical advice promptly if you have a weakened immune system.

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