Clean the Wound

• When a skinned knee occurs, you need to clean it, especially if the wound occurred by falling on the ground. If dirt and germs are allowed to penetrate the skin through a skinned knee, it could cause infection, something that will make the injury worse. It could manifest in a red scab or even one that is pus-filled. So immediately after the scrape has occurred, clean the wound with a mixture of a mild detergent and water. Make sure that any dirt or debris is washed out of the cut. If you are not at home when the scrape occurs, find a source of water to rinse it off, use a wet wipe or keep Neosporin or another antibacterial in your purse to clean the wound.
  
  

Dress the Wound

• In the past, it was recommended that scrapes and cuts be left uncovered and kept dry for them to heal faster. The American College of Emergency Physicians now recommends that you keep the scrape covered and moist, to encourage new cell growth and a speedy recovery. Use a liquid bandage product that will seal the cut, yet still keep it moist. Avoid bandages, as they will dry the cut out and may cause it to crack, reopen and bleed, making the time that you spend tending the scrape significantly longer. The liquid bandage will fall off in about three days, and can be reapplied as needed.
  
  

Facilitate Healing

• Once you've dress the skinned knee, do your best to keep your hands away from it. It can be tempting to scratch or pick at a skinned knee scab, but the more you do that, the more susceptible you are to getting an infection from germs on your hands, or causing scarring due to not allowing the scab to heal. Leave it alone, and give it a few days to heal completely. If the skinned knee you're treating is your child's, warn her not to pick at or scratch the scab.