What Are the Main Types and Degrees of Abrasions?
Abrasion terms damage in the epidermis of the skin. The abrasion injury is mainly caused due to friction against a rough surface. This results in removing the layer of skin. The abrasion wound may cause swollen, severe pain and sometimes it may lead to infection. But, the simple abrasion can be easily treated. The severe infection of abrasion requires immediate medical attention. The skin abrasion is most common in the elbow and palms of hands. Also, knee abrasion is also common.
(Image will be Uploaded soon)
Types of Abrasion
The abrasions are classified into three types based on their cause and level. The classifications of abrasion are listed below.
Linear or Scratch Abrasion
Brush or Grazed Abrasion
Patterned Abrasion
Linear or Scratched Abrasion
The linear or scratched abrasion is mainly caused by a tangential force acting on the skin and results in damaging the epidermis of the skin. Linear abrasion is the simplest injury. It requires less than a week to heal. It is medically important if the linear or scratched abrasion occurred in the neck, genitalia, or inner thighs. These injuries can be noticed as nail scratches and mark present in the female genitalia and inner thighs are an indicator of sexual assaults. Likewise, the nail marks around the neck are signs of throttling.
Grazed or Brush Abrasion
Grazed abrasions are mainly occurring due to the friction against a rough surface or broad. This can be commonly noticed from road accidents and injuries occurred in playgrounds. A brush abrasion occurs while dragging the body on a rough surface. This results in damage to the surface of the epidermis. The depth of brush abrasion completely depends on the force or speed of the body and irregularities on the surface.
Patterned Abrasion
Patterned abrasions occur when a perpendicular force acts on the epidermis of the skin. This results in an impression on the skin. Patterned abrasions are further classified into two types, this completely depends on the duration of contact with the body. They are pressure abrasion and impact abrasion.
Pressure Abrasion
The pressure abrasion occurs while the epidermis is compressed for a long time. However, the force produced on pressure abrasion is minimum, it causes injury. The teeth bite marks and hanging and struggling marks are examples of pressure abrasion.
Impact Abrasion
The impact abrasion occurs when a considerable force of swift blow acts against the skin. This may result in bulging of skin and damage of the epidermis.
Degree of Abrasion
Abrasion wounds can range from mild to severe. Most of the abrasion will stay in the mild range and it can be easily treated from home. But, some severe abrasion requires medical treatment. Based on the severity the abrasions are ranged below.
First-Degree Abrasion
If the first layer of the epidermis is affected or the upper layer of skin peeled, this is considered a first-degree abrasion. Even first-degree abrasion does not cause any bleed. Rarely it will be for scrapes or grazes.
Second-Degree Abrasion
If the epidermis, as well as dermis, are damaged. Then this is considered as second-degree abrasion. Usually, second-degree abrasion causes mild bleeding.
Third-Degree Abrasion
Severe abrasion is termed third-degree abrasion. It is also known as an avulsion wound. If friction and tears occur on the skin and dermis layer, get a deeper incision. These avulsion wounds will cause heavy bleeding. Likewise, it requires intensive medical care.
Abrasion Wound Complications
Most of the mild abrasion will take less recovery time. Meanwhile, some deeper abrasion may lead to scarring or infection. It is important to provide proper medication at the right time to reduce the risk developed from abrasion. Periodical check with concern care is important to avoid improving the risk. Some open wounds may cause serious side effects and infections. The signs of abrasion infections are listed below.
Even a mild abrasion won’t heal in a week
The abrasion may be painful and cause irritation to the skin.
Wounds may discharge foul-smelling liquid.
Yellow, brown, or green colour pus may come out from abrasion.
The severe abrasion will cause fever, which will last for more than 4 hours.
The infected area became harder and painful lumps may develop near the abrasion
Abrasion Treatment
The primary goal for the physician while treating is to stop bleeding. The bleeding mainly occurs due to pressure abrasion. It can be controlled by clean cloth or cotton or any other absorbent material.
The next step is to clean the abrasion wound with clean warm water or with sterile saline solutions.
It is important to remove the foreign materials if they could be found near the abraded skin. The wound requires some medication depending on the depth of debris present in the epidermis.
In some cases. The removal of foreign material from abrasion injury may cause a deeper incision. And it requires physician treatment.
Once the abrasion wound was cleaned, it can be dressed up with petroleum jelly or some antibiotic ointments.
Some deeper abrasions may require anaesthetic treatment for controlling the pain.
FAQs on Abrasion in Biology: Causes, Types, and Prevention
1. What is an abrasion in biology?
An abrasion is a type of open wound that occurs when the skin is scraped or rubbed against a rough surface. This friction removes the top layer of the skin, the epidermis, and may sometimes extend into the deeper layer, the dermis. Commonly known as a scrape or a graze, an abrasion typically results in minimal bleeding but can be painful due to the exposure of nerve endings.
2. What are the main types of abrasions?
Abrasions are generally classified based on how the injury occurred and the pattern they leave on the skin. The three primary types are:
- Linear or Scratch Abrasions: These are caused when a sharp or pointed object moves across the skin, creating a straight or curved line. An example is a scratch from a thorn or a fingernail.
- Grazed or Brush Abrasions: These occur when the skin slides across a broad, rough surface, like falling on pavement or a carpet. They often cover a wider area and can have particles of dirt or debris embedded in them.
- Patterned Abrasions: This type of abrasion occurs when the skin is forcefully pressed against a rough surface, imprinting the object's pattern onto the skin. Examples include injuries from a bicycle pedal, a vehicle's grille, or a textured floor mat.
3. What is the correct first aid procedure for treating a minor abrasion?
Proper care for a minor abrasion helps prevent infection and promotes faster healing. Follow these steps:
- Wash your hands: First, ensure your hands are clean to avoid introducing bacteria into the wound.
- Clean the wound: Gently rinse the abrasion with cool, clean water and a mild soap to remove any dirt, gravel, or debris. Avoid harsh scrubbing.
- Apply an antiseptic or ointment: A thin layer of an antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly can help keep the surface moist and prevent infection.
- Cover the wound: Use a sterile bandage or gauze to protect the area from bacteria and further injury.
- Change the dressing: Change the bandage at least once a day or whenever it becomes wet or dirty.
4. What is the difference between an abrasion and a laceration?
While both are skin injuries, an abrasion and a laceration are fundamentally different. An abrasion is a superficial injury where the skin is scraped off, affecting mainly the epidermis with minimal bleeding. In contrast, a laceration is a deep cut or tear in the skin and underlying tissue, often caused by blunt trauma. Lacerations typically have irregular edges and often bleed more profusely than abrasions.
5. How does the skin's natural healing process work for an abrasion?
The healing of an abrasion is a multi-stage biological process. It begins with hemostasis, where platelets form a clot to stop any minor bleeding. This is followed by the inflammatory phase, where white blood cells are sent to the site to clean the wound and fight off any potential pathogens. Next, in the proliferative phase, new tissue, called granulation tissue, fills the wound, and epithelial cells migrate across the surface to form a new top layer of skin. This process often results in the formation of a scab, which protects the healing tissue underneath.
6. What are the potential complications if an abrasion is not cared for properly?
Improper care of an abrasion can lead to several complications. The most common is a bacterial infection, indicated by increased redness, swelling, warmth, pain, or the presence of pus. If left untreated, this infection can spread. Another significant risk, especially with wounds from dirty or rusty objects, is tetanus. Deeper abrasions, especially if they become infected or if the scab is picked off prematurely, can also result in permanent scarring or changes in skin pigmentation (hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation).
7. Why is it important not to pick at the scab that forms over an abrasion?
A scab is a natural, protective barrier formed by the body over a wound. It serves two critical functions: it keeps the wound clean by preventing bacteria and debris from entering, and it maintains a moist environment underneath, which is essential for the migration of new skin cells. Picking off a scab prematurely disrupts this healing process, re-opens the wound to potential infection, and can damage the new, delicate tissue, increasing the likelihood of developing a permanent scar.
