Skin Tears

At least 1.5 million people experience skin tears each year in the United States, especially elderly adults. At United Wound Care Centers of Illinois in Aurora, Illinois, experienced nurse practitioners John Konopelski, C-APN, DNP, and Gladys Odoi, APRN, FNP-BC, MSN, along with their team, treat skin tears to maximize healing and reduce your risk of an infection. Schedule an in-office or home-based evaluation by calling the office or requesting a visit online today.

What are skin tears?

Skin tears are breaks in your skin caused by pulling and tearing of thin, dry, or fragile tissues. These tears appear more frequently in elderly persons because of changes in the skin associated with aging.

While common, skin tears become problematic when they fail to heal on their own, are painful, or become infected. See the experts at United Wound Care Centers of Illinois at the first sign of severe or nonhealing skin tears.

What are the symptoms of skin tears?

Skin tear symptoms include:

• Open wounds
• Torn skin
• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Nonhealing wounds
• Visible skin flaps
• Pain
• Swelling

If a skin tear becomes infected, you can develop redness, warmth, pus, drainage, and/or a fever. 

What are the risk factors for skin tears?

Skin tear risk factors include:

• Being elderly
• Pulling of the skin
• Skin irritation or friction
• Poor nutrition
• Trauma
• History of skin tears
• Underlying medical conditions
• Pressure
• Falls

Take precautions to help protect your skin against being scratched, bumped, irritated, or pulled to reduce the risk of skin tears.

How are skin tears diagnosed?

Your wound care specialist examines your skin and discusses your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and how a skin tear occurred. They might recommend a biopsy or imaging procedure to detect or rule out complications related to the tear. The United Wound Care Centers of Illinois team personalizes a wound care treatment that maximizes healing and relieves discomfort.

How are skin tears treated?

Depending on the type and severity of your skin tear, your United Wound Care Centers of Illinois provider will suggest one or more of the following treatments:

• Wound cleaning
• Off-loading
• Drainage
• Elevation
• Debridement
• Dressings
• Bandaging
• Topical medication
• Negative pressure wound therapy
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Skin grafting
• Oral medication
• Compression stockings or bandages
• Ultrasound therapy
• Electromagnetic therapy
• Growth factor therapy
• Stem cell therapy
• Complex wound care
• Surgery

They monitor the wound over time to ensure proper healing and lasting results. 

Preventive measures include keeping your skin protected from friction, irritation, and sharp edges. It’s also helpful to eat nutritious foods, stay active, and take medication for underlying medical concerns exactly as prescribed.

Contact United Wound Care Centers of Illinois anytime with questions or if you develop new, unusual, or nonhealing wounds.

Schedule an in-office or home-based skin tear evaluation at United Wound Care Centers of Illinois by calling the office or booking a visit online today.