Precautions to take when you have a head wound.
- Brain risk assessment: This is the most important difference. Head wounds must always be evaluated in conjunction with the possibility of internal injury, such as concussion, intracranial hemorrhage, or skull fracture. The doctor will take a history of the mechanism of injury and check for neurological symptoms (e.g., dizziness, confusion, vomiting), an evaluation that is not necessary for wounds on the arms or legs (unless it's a very severe accident).
- Easier to bleed: The scalp has a high concentration of capillaries, meaning even small wounds can bleed more than similarly sized wounds in other areas. Therefore, controlling bleeding may require longer periods of pressure.
- Having hair: Hair can contaminate a wound and obstruct visibility, making cleaning and suturing more difficult. Sometimes, it may be necessary to shave some hair around the wound (though this is less common) to facilitate cleaning, a problem not present in most skin types.
- How to close a wound: Besides sutures or adhesive wound closures, staples are quite popular for scalp wounds because they are quick and less prone to hair getting caught like with sutures.
- Beauty: Although scars on the head are often covered by hair, if the scar extends to the forehead or face, suturing must be done with extra precision to minimize the risk of unsightly scarring.
