First Aid

The first aid basics every home and car should have: waterproof plasters and dressings, skin closure strips, Elastoplast wound spray, Bepantiseptic antiseptic cream, Compeed for blisters and cold sores, and Dettol hand gel. Pharmacist advice on treating everyday injuries.

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Treating everyday injuries at home

Cuts and grazes

Rinse under running water, pat dry, apply an antiseptic such as Elastoplast Wound Spray or Bepantiseptic cream, and cover with a plaster or non-adherent dressing. Change daily and watch for spreading redness, heat or pus. Skin closure strips can hold a clean, straight cut together instead of stitches if the edges meet easily; deep, gaping or dirty wounds need a doctor.

Burns and scalds

Cool under running tap water for 20 minutes, remove rings and watches, then cover loosely with cling film or a non-adherent dressing. Burnshield hydrogel cools and protects if water is not available. Do not use butter, ice or fluffy cotton wool. Burns larger than your palm, on the face, hands or joints, or any burn in a child need medical assessment.

Blisters

Do not pop them. A Compeed hydrocolloid plaster cushions and heals a blister in days.

Sprains

Rest, ice (wrapped, 15 minutes at a time), compression and elevation for the first two days, with paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you cannot bear weight or the joint looks deformed, get an X-ray.

Building a kit

Assorted waterproof plasters, a few sterile non-adherent dressings, skin closures, antiseptic spray or cream, blister plasters, a bandage, scissors and tweezers, paracetamol and an antihistamine. Check expiry dates once a year.

Call 999 or 112 for: heavy bleeding that does not stop with pressure after ten minutes, difficulty breathing, chest pain, a suspected stroke, or any serious head injury.

Common questions about first aid

Should I use antiseptic on a cut?

Clean water does most of the work. A mild antiseptic such as Elastoplast Wound Spray or Bepantiseptic cream reduces infection risk in grazes and cuts that were dirty. Avoid harsh antiseptics like neat TCP on open wounds.

How do I treat a minor burn?

Cool it under running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible, then cover loosely. Do not apply creams, butter or ice. Paracetamol helps the pain. Any burn larger than your palm or on the face or hands should be seen by a doctor.

Can I close a cut with skin closure strips?

Yes, if the cut is clean, straight, less than a few centimetres and the edges come together without tension. Apply strips across the cut on dry skin. Deep, jagged or dirty wounds need stitches.

Written and reviewed by the pharmacist team at Laois Pharmacy, Portlaoise. General information only, not a substitute for advice about your own health. Ask us in store or on WhatsApp.