Many finger cuts can easily be treated at home. However, medical help may be required if the cut reveals deep layers of skin, fat, or bone, if it’s infected, or if there are injured ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

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Of all the types of finger injuries, a finger cut or scrape is a common type of finger injury in children.

This type of injury can happen quickly, too. When the skin of a finger breaks and the blood starts to escape, knowing how to respond is the key to making sure the cut heals safely.

Many cuts can be easily treated at home. But if it’s deep or long, see a healthcare professional to decide whether stitches are necessary.

In general, a cut that’s wide enough so the edges can’t be easily pushed together will need stitches.

Taking a moment to examine the injury and clean it if necessary will help you decide whether a trip to the emergency room (ER) is needed.

You can often treat a minor cut at home by cleaning the wound and covering it. Follow these steps to properly care for your injury:

  1. Clean the wound. Gently clean the cut by wiping away blood or dirt with water.
  2. Elevate the finger. Try to keep the injured figure above your heart as much as possible until the bleeding stops.
  3. Apply pressure. Hold a clean cloth or bandage securely around the finger. Gentle pressure, in addition to elevation, may be needed to stop the bleeding.
  4. Cover the wound. Cover the cut with an adhesive dressing or other sterile, compressive dressing. Don’t wrap the finger too tightly so that blood flow is completely cut off.

Some finger cuts are deep and require medical treatment, like stitches. If you believe the cut is more serious than can be effectively treated at home, go to an ER or urgent care. Doing so can reduce the odds of complications.

In general, you should seek emergency treatment if your cut:

  • is deep, gaping open and wide, or longer than 1/2 inch
  • reveals deep layers of skin, fat, or muscle tissue
  • won’t stop bleeding heavily
  • is caused by a puncture wound or a dirty or rusty object
  • is embedded with debris, such as dirt, stones, or gravel
  • is ragged or has separated edges
  • is caused by an animal bite or human bite
  • is very painful
  • shows signs of infection, such as increased warmth, redness, swelling, or drainage
  • is linked to numbness or inability to move the finger, which can indicate nerve or tendon injury

Learn more about how to tell if you need stitches here.

Medical emergency

If the cut is so severe that there’s a risk of a severed finger, go to the ER as quickly as possible.

If part of the finger has actually been cut off, try to clean the severed portion and wrap it in a moistened, sterile cloth. Bring it to the ER in a plastic, waterproof bag placed on ice, if possible.

A minor cut that’s cleaned and covered quickly should heal properly. Larger or deeper cuts may take longer. They’re also more susceptible to certain complications.

Infection

If the finger becomes infected, see a healthcare professional as soon as you can. More treatment, including antibiotics, may be necessary.

Signs of an infected cut include:

  • the area around the cut is redder, or streaks of red appear near the wound
  • finger continues to swell 48 hours after the injury
  • pus forms around the cut or scab
  • pain continues to worsen each day after the injury

Bleeding

A cut that continues to bleed after elevating the hand and applying pressure could be a sign that a blood vessel was harmed. It could also be a sign of a bleeding disorder or a side effect of taking medications, such as blood thinners, for a heart condition.

When you arrive at the ER, urgent care clinic, or doctor’s office, a healthcare professional will examine the wound and ask you for a quick medical history and list of symptoms.

Treatment will usually begin with a procedure known as debridement. This is the cleaning of the wound and removal of dead tissue and contaminants.

Stitches often treat deep or wide cuts. For slightly smaller cuts, your healthcare professional may use strong, sterile adhesive strips called Steri-Strips (also known as butterfly strips).

If stitches are needed, your healthcare professional will only put in as many as needed to properly close the wound. For a finger cut, this may mean two or three stitches.

If there’s been a lot of skin damage, you may need a skin graft. This is a surgical procedure that involves the use of healthy skin taken from elsewhere on the body to cover the wound. The skin graft is kept in place with stitches while it heals.

If you haven’t had a recent tetanus shot, you may be given one at the time your wound is being treated.

Depending on the severity of the wound and your pain tolerance, your healthcare professional may prescribe pain relievers or recommend you take OTC medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Take either type of pain reliever in the first day or two after the injury occurs.

If you’ve treated a finger cut at home and there are no signs of infection or bleeding problems, you can let healing take its course. Check the injury and change the dressing twice a day, or more often if it gets wet or dirty.

If the cut isn’t starting to heal within a few days or showing signs of infection, get medical help soon.

If the cut is healing well after a couple of days, you can remove the dressing. Try to keep the area as clean as possible until the cut is completely healed.

Your healthcare professional may advise you to wear a short splint on the affected finger to help keep it from moving or bending too much. Too much movement can delay the healing of the lacerated skin.

A minor cut may need only a few days to heal. In some cases, it could take 2-4 weeks for the injury to completely heal.

To avoid stiffness and preserve finger muscle strength, your healthcare professional may recommend some range-of-motion exercises and activities, such as pinching and grasping, once the healing process is underway.

Larger or deeper wounds that require surgery can take 4-6 weeks to heal. Longer recovery times may be necessary if tendons or nerves are damaged.

Follow-up appointments with your healthcare professional will be needed to make sure the wound is healing properly.

All wounds leave some kind of scar. You may be able to reduce the appearance of a scar on your finger by keeping the wound clean and applying clean dressing often.

The use of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or essential oils in a carrier oil may help keep scarring to a minimum, too.

Below are some commonly asked questions about a finger cut.

How deep is too deep for a finger cut?

Generally speaking, if a cut is deep, gaping open and wide, or longer than 1/2 inch, you should seek medical attention. It may require stitches or surgery.

Do I need to go to the doctor if I cut my finger?

It’s not always necessary to go to the doctor if you’ve cut your finger. Indeed, many cuts can be easily treated at home. However, if it is a deep cut or shows signs of infection, you should seek treatment.

A cut finger injury can happen quickly and without warning. To help preserve the use of your finger, it’s crucial to clean the wound and treat it.

In the event of a larger cut, a trip to the ER or an urgent care clinic for prompt treatment may help you avoid some unpleasant and painful complications. It also ensures the health and appearance of your finger.