When you have a wound that you're caring for yourself, one of the things that can cause it to heal slowly is if it opens up. Your local primary care provider can give you specific instructions on how to prevent this from happening, but one issue that you'll have to control in the days and weeks ahead is how dry the affected area gets. If the wound dries out, the skin can crack, and that can cause the wound to start bleeding again. This will significantly lengthen the healing time, and may also increase the risk of a scar remaining in the spot. Keeping the area moist, as long as you don't allow it to get too moist, can prevent the area from cracking. Here are some tips that you can use.

Dab The Area With Ointment

Your health provider will often recommend a specific type of ointment that you can use around your wound. There are different products available; some are designed to keep the area disinfected, while the primary purpose of others is to keep the area from drying out, cracking, and slowing down the healing process. In some cases, healthcare experts will even advocate the use of a substance such as petroleum jelly, as long as you wash your hands carefully before applying it so that you aren't introducing new bacteria to the wound.

Stay Out Of The Sun

Being in the sun is pleasant, and provided that you don't do so excessively, there are actually health benefits of sun exposure. However, one issue that may be relevant to your situation is dry skin as a result of being in the sun too much. If your wound gets too much sunlight, the skin can get dry. This can cause your skin to crack when you move it, which can result in the wound starting to bleed again and the healing process taking longer than necessary. Try to avoid excess sun exposure or, if you can't avoid being outdoors, ensure that the area is covered.

Don't Go Swimming

Swimming in a pool with a wound is a bad idea for a few reasons, and if you're thinking about swimming in a public or hotel pool, you'll usually see a sign prohibiting you from doing so if you have a wound. However, if you have your own backyard pool, you might be inclined to take a dip. One issue with swimming in chlorinated water is that the chlorine can dry out your skin, which increases the risk that it will crack and slow down the healing process.

 For more information on wound care, see a physician near you.