Scab (Exudate): Causes, Treatment & Help

Scabs, medically often called crusted exudate, can occur on different parts of the body and due to different causes. Scabs can occur in variable dimensions and also textures. Here it depends predominantly on the cause of the exudate formation.

What is scab?

In medicine, scab refers to dried up secretions, which in most cases are associated with open and inflamed wounds. By scab is understood in medicine dried up secretions, which in most cases are associated with open and inflamed wounds. Here, the body secretes various fluids that, together with the blood, sometimes stick to the wound. On the one hand, scabs are therefore also used to close open wounds and protect them from the penetration of germs and bacteria. On the other hand, the fluid on which the scab is based also serves to secrete bacteria and to make it easier for the body’s own defense cells to reach the wound. For this purpose, the fluid consists largely of protein and glucose, which dry up together in the air. However, exudation can also run below the surface of closed wounds, which can lead to further inflammation and pain. So the formation of exudate itself is not always a good thing.

Causes

In normal cases, heavy exudation takes place whenever there is inflammation in the body. What size the wound presents usually does not matter too much. Exudate and thus scabs can also form in small blackheads, just as both are naturally found in large flesh wounds. In most cases, by the way, a little exudate always forms in open wounds. This is because, on the one hand, it serves to seal the wound to the outside and, on the other hand, to guide the white blood cells to the site of the injury and “feed” them there. This is the only way the body can best avoid a major inflammation. However, such an infection cannot always be ruled out. Incidentally, increased inflammation also usually results in greater production of exudate.

Diseases with this symptom

  • Scrape
  • Burn wound
  • Acne
  • Cut
  • Bite wound
  • Cradle cap
  • Bruises
  • Laceration
  • Chylothorax

Diagnosis and course

If the scab formation is very strong, it can be assumed that the affected wound has become inflamed. Sometimes, however, a strong exudate formation can have other backgrounds. For example, the fluid is also there to secrete dead or diseased tissue within the wound. If this is not possible, larger quantities of the fluid are also formed, which then stick to the skin in the air and dry out. The exact cause behind the scab formation can often only be determined by taking a swab. The ingredients that can subsequently be detected in the exudate can be used to determine the best possible treatment.

Complications

An excessively thick scab layer is a clear sign that inflammation has settled within the wound. If more bacteria and foreign bodies enter the wound, the body increasingly produces a wound secretion to flush out the pathogens. Depending on the patient’s condition, timely medical wound care and adherence to cleanliness, an excessively developed exudate may also have other causes. If the wound begins to hurt acutely and swell reddish, a complication is present. Lack of hygiene or negative collagen synthesis are reasons why healing is delayed. To avoid complications, the wound must be treated daily with an antiseptic solution. If this is prevented, for example by improper treatment or incorrect dressing of the wound, the injured area swells and begins to hurt. If the immune system is weakened, wound rupture or even blood poisoning may occur. If the contamination has progressed acutely, antibiotic treatment and surgical intervention are performed. In this case, the focus of the pus is made to drain and removed. If the eschar wound heals poorly, a bulging connective tissue proliferation can occur as a further consequence, which also affects the nearby healthy tissue.This must then also be surgically removed, since such growths, especially in the area of the hand and fingers, impair motor function.

When should you go to the doctor?

Scabs are usually harmless and do not require medical treatment. A visit to the doctor is recommended if the scab begins to hurt or is excessively thick and firm. It is possible that inflammation has already developed within the wound, which must be treated immediately to avoid further complications. If the wound begins to swell reddish as it progresses, a bacterial infection or other complication may be present. People with a weakened immune system should consult a doctor if the scab keeps rupturing or if blood poisoning is suspected. If the wound is heavily contaminated, professional removal of the scab and subsequent cleaning of the wound is required. A doctor should also be consulted if the scab wound heals poorly in general or if a bulging connective tissue growth has already formed. In general, if the scab does not fall off on its own after a week at the latest, or if pain, redness and itching occur, a doctor must treat the wound.

Treatment and therapy

In a treatment, not the scab, but the affected wound is treated. In doing so, the exact cause of inflammation must first be found out. Then the treating physician brings in experience, how strong the inflammation or also the problem in the present case is. This is because antibiotics may have to be added to contain the focus of inflammation. Other popular treatment methods, however, include regular cleaning of the wound and supportive external applications. For example, by using suitable creams and ointments that support wound healing. And: in the case of strong exudate and even pus formation under the skin surface, a specialist must often ensure by means of a small incision that the liquid can drain away unhindered.

Outlook and prognosis

In wounds, the scab forms in the course of the healing process. It itself does not usually represent a health complication and therefore does not need to be treated by a doctor. It often happens that the affected area hurts or is sensitive to pressure. This is a common symptom. In most cases, the scab disappears after about a week and leaves no scars. If the wound is exposed to an unsanitary condition, inflammation may form in the wound. This can be recognized by a secretion that is secreted on the wound itself. In this case, a doctor should be consulted, as treatment with antibiotics is usually necessary. Usually, this treatment leads to success and no further complications occur. The wound itself should always be kept clean. Ideally, it is covered with a plaster or wrapped in a bandage. This will speed up the healing of the wound. The scab itself is not a complication and is a common symptom that occurs during the healing process. Most wounds heal after a few days, during which the scab also disappears.

Prevention

The formation of scabs can be prevented in wounds only to a very limited extent. In addition, the encrustation of the wound is not always of a negative nature. What can and should be done is to keep the wound as clean and sterile as possible. In addition, one should always pay attention to whether it is visibly healing well or whether a strong inflammation is forming under the surface. If this is the case, one must immediately call in the attending physician. Superfluous scabs, for example, if they are spread widely around the wound, can be removed gently with clean cloths and disinfectant solutions.

This is what you can do yourself

Various home remedies and measures help with scabs. Thus, the dead tissue can be brought to healing by the external application of olive oil with privet or chamomile. Other medicinal herbs also have a soothing effect on scabs and can be applied to the affected area with a cotton ball. Swelling and sore skin around the scab can be soothed with an ice pack. For irritated skin, aloe vera and calendula ointment will help. Cradle cap can be reduced by fresh air and warm temperatures.It is also important to specifically reduce possible causes such as stress through sports, meditation or a trip to the countryside. Cradle cap in babies and toddlers can be removed with gentle remedies such as pansy tea. A poultice made from a tea mixture of witch hazel leaves, agrimony and deadnettle flowers applied directly to the affected area is also effective. Before washing the hair, the crust can be treated with olive oil. In case of severe discomfort, special horn-dissolving agents from the pharmacy are recommended. If the scab persists despite all measures or even becomes inflamed, a doctor should be consulted for further clarification.