An infected wound can produce a yellowish, bad-smelling fluid called pus. When fluid seeps from a wound, it is called wound drainage.
Purulent drainage is a sign of infection. It's a white, yellow, or brown fluid and might be slightly thick in texture. It's made up of white blood cells trying to fight the infection, plus the residue from any bacteria pushed out of the wound. There may be an unpleasant smell to the fluid, as well.
See your doctor immediately if you notice a change in color or odor of the fluid oozing from your wound. Purulent drainage is yellow, green, brown, or white and has a strong odor. The earlier an infection is caught, the easier it can be treated.
Purulent drainage is not a characteristic of normal healthy wound healing. Exudate that becomes a thick, milky liquid or a thick liquid that turns yellow, tan, gray, green, or brown is almost always a sign that infection is present.
Serous drainage is composed mainly of plasma. It is often thin and watery and will usually have a clear to yellowish or brownish appearance. Small amounts of serous drainage are normal during the first stages of healing.
Once you stop the bleeding and clean the wound, you should apply a clean bandage. Here's why: Air dries out the wound and promotes cell death, not healing. Covering the wound maintains the natural moisture that helps keep cells alive.
Serous and serosanguinous drainage are normal for the first two or three days. But you should watch for signs that the amount of blood mixed with serum is increasing. If this happens, see your doctor. Paying close attention to a wound as it heals is vital.
Color is generally clear to pale yellow (normal), red (fresh blood), brown (dried or old blood), white (see above), or blue-green (usually indicative of Pseudomonas infection and should be cultured). The amount of drainage is generally documented as absent, scant, minimal, moderate, large, or copious.
After the initial discharge of a bit of pus and blood, your wound should be clear. If the discharge continues through the wound healing process and begins to smell bad or have discoloration, it's probably a sign of infection.
If you see moist, yellow color around your scab it could simply be serum. However, if you see yellow around your scab and the area is also inflamed or swollen, it could be a sign of infection.
When there is crusting around the scab, and it appears yellow, it is possible that the area has become infected and needs treatment with antibiotics. Anyone who thinks that they have an infected wound should speak to a doctor. Impetigo and cold sores are two common conditions that can also cause yellow scabs.
Serous drainage
Serous drainage is thin, watery, and transparent liquid that leaks out, commonly seen in fresh wounds within 48-72 hours during the inflammatory wound healing stages. If you see a large volume of serous leakage, this may suggest a significant bioburden (presence of unsterile bacteria) on the wound.
YELLOW: wounds that have stalled in the healing process often have the presence of bacterial colonies known as “biofilm”. Biofilm is often not visible, but in some case, a thick yellow to white fibrinous debris can be found along the base of a wound which can represent a biofilm colonization.
Symptoms of Wound Infections
Pus or cloudy fluid is draining from the wound. Pimple. A pimple or yellow crust has formed on the wound. Soft Scab.
The following may be signs that a wound is chronic: You've had the wound more than four weeks. Your wound has not moved out of the inflammation stage. For example, you may have a wound that scabs over again and again, but your body never gets to the point of rebuilding new skin.
Can an infected wound or cut heal on its own? Some minor wound infections can heal on their own, but if a wound starts to develop more drainage, the surrounding redness spreads, or if a person develops a fever, a person should seek further medical attention.
Clean the wound by rinsing it with bottled or tap water, or by using sterile wipes. Clean the skin around the wound using soap and water or antiseptic – but try not to get antiseptic into the wound. Pat the area dry using a gauze swab or a clean tea towel. Put on a sterile dressing or a plaster.
Take a shower once a day. The incision is held together with clips, sutures, steri-strips or dermabond. The JP drain tube is held by a suture to your skin. While showering, secure the bulb to keep it from pulling on the skin or becoming dislodged.
Normal wound drainage involves the discharge of thin, watery fluids that may be clear or contain tiny amounts of blood. Abnormal wound drainage is when the discharge is thick, bloody, or has a milky white, yellow, green, gray, or brown color (often with a foul smell).
You also may see some clear fluid oozing from the wound. This fluid helps clean the area. Blood vessels open in the area, so blood can bring oxygen and nutrients to the wound. Oxygen is essential for healing.
Betadine is used on the skin to treat or prevent skin infection in minor cuts, scrapes, or burns. Betadine is also used in a medical setting to help prevent infection and promote healing in skin wounds, pressure sores, or surgical incisions.
A handful of studies have found that when wounds are kept moist and covered, blood vessels regenerate faster and the number of cells that cause inflammation drop more rapidly than they do in wounds allowed to air out. It is best to keep a wound moist and covered for at least five days.
Slough is considered the by-product of the inflammatory phase of wound healing. An essential component of wound bed preparation is the removal of slough from a wound bed. Slough not only contributes to delayed wound healing, it also prevents an accurate wound assessment and can also harbour biofilms.
Healthy granulation tissue is pink in colour and is an indicator of healing. Unhealthy granulation is dark red in colour, often bleeds on contact, and may indicate the presence of wound infection.
The removal of exudate, particularly the more viscous forms, also removes bacteria and protease enzymes – both barriers to healing. This technique should, however, not be used on wounds containing eschar or necrotic tissue.