For a change, we have decided to depart from our ‘traditional’ home-oriented solutions to talk more about ‘personal’ issues. Don’t worry, we are not going impart those cheesy dating and romance advises. As conscientious as we are, we will rather help you in case of those nasty cuts from rushed shaving sessions before your date night. So, while you are at it, just take a peek at ten simple ways by which you can stop your bleeding with stuff mostly lying around in your bathroom cabinets and household.
1. Cold Water or Ice
This obviously comes as the first choice for many of us. Cold water can be accessed from your refrigerator; all you need to do is wet some washcloth with the water and apply to the cut region (of your chin or cheek). Ice also helps by direct application to the bruised area. In both cases, the low temperature allows constriction of the blood vessels, thus slowing down on the flow of blood and consequently stopping bleeding.
2. Hot water might also do the trick!
As low temperature helps in shrinking shrinks blood vessels, high temperature helps in disinfecting the cut by searing it (better known as cauterizing). Now it may sound painful, but you can do it indirectly by dousing your washcloth with warm water and then applying the wet cloth softly over the injured area. And, as a precaution, do not ever try to directly apply hot water over the cut.
3. Mouthwash
Yes, mouthwash! Most mouthwash solutions like Listerine have alcohol that acts as an astringent. So, what does an astringent do? Well, it tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, thus helping in stopping the bleed. As a side note, you can also opt for witch hazel, by dipping a Q-tip in it and applying the cotton end over the bruised region.
4. Eye Drops
The rabbit hole is getting stranger by the minute! Yes, eye relievers like Visine also have astringents that help in slowing down the bleeding process by constriction of our blood vessels.
5. Deodorant
According to many dermatology experts around the world, our daily used deodorants have aluminum chloride (or derivatives of the compound) that acts as a hemostatic agent. This helps the blood clot to actually form, thus preventing the incessant bleeding from the cut. As for applying, do not directly spray the deodorant onto the injured region; rather take some on your finger tip or use a cotton swab.
6. Styptic pencil
Styptic pencils work according to the same principle as we have mentioned in the case of deodorants. Instead of aluminum chloride, the these items have titanium dioxide or a form of sulfate. In any case, these compounds also cause the blood clot to form, which effectively slows down your bleeding.
7. Sugar
Sugar may not that good for your heart and metabolism, but a pinch full of the sweet substance is oddly effective in treating your cuts and bleeds. The sugar actually acts as a disinfectant which neutralizes the host of bacteria that may be invading your open wound. For applying, just take a few granules of sugar and hold them onto the injured part for 2-3 minutes.
8. Lip Balm or Vaseline
Unlike other entries on this list, the Lip Balm (or you can also use Vaseline) blocks the flow of blood by its waxy nature rather than constricting the blood vessel. In any case, this blocking also helps the blood clot to form which ultimately takes care of the bleeding.
9. Aspirin
Aspirin is easily one of the most widely used medications, with an estimated 40,000 tonnes of it being consumed every year around the world. And, it turns out that Aspirin is also effective for treating your shave cut. However in this case, you don’t have to take in the medicine. Instead you have to dissolve a tablet in a glass of water, and then dab the solution on your injured area with the help of cotton swabs or soft cloth.
10. Pressure
If you are out of reach from every item mentioned in the list, you can finally opt for good’ole pressure. All you need to do is apply pressure on the cut (preferably with a soft cloth) for some minutes, and voila – the bleeding will stop.
