Take proper care of your injuries

In the fall of 2025, I was surprised to see typhoons come one after another. Around my house, the drainage system was poor, and the road flooded three times. Especially on September 30, the typhoon reached knee-deep water, and not only my motorcycle but also cars and buses were unable to operate. As a result, I was forced to walk through the mud with my slippers and Crocs, afraid I might trip and fall into the depths suddenly, or get hurt.

Wounds in such contaminated conditions require special attention. Moreover, since you will be walking for long distances, your skin will become swollen and you may develop blisters. By the way, some of our staff have experienced blisters that reach the dermis.Whether it is a scratch or a shoe rub, the severity of the infection and the duration of recovery vary depending on whether the wound extends to the epidermis or reaches the dermis.So this time, I will tell you about a measure that can be used to determine the depth of a wound to a certain extent.

If you do get injured, first try observing the situation. IfIf pink skin appears and there is a slight bleeding, the injury has reached the dermis at least.Conversely, if it is not severe enough, the wound is thought to remain confined to the outermost layer of skin, reducing the risk of infection. If washed thoroughly with soap, it will heal in a few days, and there will be no scarring.

Once it reaches the dermis, we’ll look at the depth next.The more bleeding occurs, the deeper the damage to the dermis is.The thickness of the dermis is 1 to 3 mm, so you can't tell the depth by looking at it, but the feeling of bleeding is a good indication.The deeper the infection gets, the weaker the skin barrier becomes, and the risk of infection increases.It hurts, but please wash away the debris such as sand grains with soap. The seepage liquid will appear the next day. If the amount of the seepage liquid is large, it may mean that the wound is not deep or is not in a clean condition. It will take about 10 days to heal.It cures faster and more effectively if it is left moist rather than dried.Since it is said to be so, we recommend using protective ointments or bandages containing antibacterial agents. For a while, there may be some discoloration on the affected area.

FurthermoreDeep wounds beyond the epidermis mean that the skin barrier has already been breached, increasing the risk of infection from bacteria, etc.We must take this into account. Typhoid fever is also a concern. If there are any debris such as sand grains, we should wash them out thoroughly. Wounds that extend beyond the skin take more than three weeks to heal. And, the scar itself remains. Thus, wounds vary greatly in their healing process depending on their depth.

As with a burn, however, it is difficult to determine the depth because there is no visible bleeding. Often, the slow healing process makes it difficult to determine the depth. Once a blister forms, it is believed to have reached the dermis.

　If you have wounds that are not healing well, deep wounds, or if you are worried about the depth of the wound, it is advisable to consult a medical professional.Please do so. If necessary, we may recommend treatment for the wound, taking antibiotics, and in some cases a tetanus vaccination. This may sound a bit scary, but the most important thing is prevention. It’s better to avoid getting injured in the first place.

The flooding on September 30. Cars, motorcycles, and buses stopped moving.

I can't see the bottom of the foot. I'm afraid it might get caught in a hole or something...

Japan Green Vietnam Clinic
Japan Green Vietnam Clinic

Dr. Ken Inoue

Board-certified surgeon, rehabilitation specialist, emergency medicine specialist, and intensive care specialist. After graduating from Hiroshima University in 1992, he worked in acute and recovery care in Ehime Prefecture, Kochi Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Nagasaki Prefecture. After training at the Kurashiki Adult Diseases Center, he has been working there to this day.