Skin tears are wounds that erupt from friction between two underlying skin layers (the dermis and epidermis). It occurs on any body part. It’s susceptible to the aged, those with chronic diseases, fragile skin and neonates. If not treated complications of cellulitis and infections can arise. You can read about drHomeDoctorsPerth bringing urgent medical care to your home in case you are not able to visit a nearby hospital.

Causes and risk factors

Below are some causes that could cause or increase the severity of skin tear: 

• Dehydration and lack of proper nutrition.
• Chronic diseases such as diabetes heart diseases and stroke
• Age is a major factor due to decreased mobility, loss of tissues, decreased moisture content.
• Hypersensitive reactions to anti-inflammatory and immune suppressive medications.
• Previous history on the same and fragile skin.
• Impaired sensory neurons.

Prevention and possible treatments

The primary reason for protection and treatment is to ensure the preservation of skin flap, surrounding tissues, reduce risks of future infections and possible injuries.

Below are some precautions to curb the risks and minimize complications. 

• Proper skin care in terms of nutrition, fluid intake and skin products.
• Ensuring a safe environment to avoid injury to the elderly with visual and impaired mobility.
• Protective clothing and pad protection for extreme circumstances.
• Safe handling of patients
• Wounds should be monitored for signs of infection which include; swelling, odor, increased temperatures and exudates

In conclusion, you should be able to determine what the exact cause is before trying to implement the precautions and possible treatments. A simple procedure of cleaning, determining the damage level and dressing the wound should be done before seeking medical attention from the dermatologist.