{"id":17146,"date":"2023-03-07T10:20:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T16:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=17146"},"modified":"2025-11-06T09:57:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:57:03","slug":"how-to-tell-if-a-wound-is-healing-or-infected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-if-a-wound-is-healing-or-infected\/","title":{"rendered":"How to tell if a wound is healing or infected"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your body is set up to start healing as soon as it\u2019s cut or injured. But sometimes, for any number of reasons, the body doesn\u2019t do exactly what it\u2019s supposed to when it\u2019s supposed to.<\/p>\n

Sometimes a wound takes a long time to heal or gets infected and stops the healing process altogether. It\u2019s important to pay attention to the stages of wound healing so you know whether your wound is going in the right direction.<\/p>\n

Alyssa Smolen<\/a>, APRN, is a wound care expert at OSF HealthCare who shared how to tell if a wound is healing or infected.<\/p>\n

The wound healing process<\/h2>\n

A typical wound starts to heal right away following a four-step process:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Hemostasis- The body knows when it\u2019s been wounded and focuses on stopping the bleeding first. This process can happen within seconds or minutes of getting a wound. Hemostasis also helps get the body ready for the second stage of healing.<\/li>\n
  2. Inflammation- Your body\u2019s defense system sends white blood cells to the wound to help clear out bacteria and debris. You might see experience some redness, swelling, warmth or pain.<\/li>\n
  3. Proliferation- Once the wound is stabilized, it goes into rebuild mode. The body sends oxygen-rich blood cells and collagen to the wound, which helps the body to form new skin. It may look red and raised at this stage.<\/li>\n
  4. Maturation- Maturation is the stage of healing when a scar softens, flattens and fades. You\u2019ll notice your wound looking more like the skin that was once there. During this stage, the body is strengthening the area. Depending on the severity of the wound, maturation may take a year or more to fully complete.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Signs of wound healing<\/h2>\n

    \u201cHow long it takes for a cut to heal can vary depending on the wound<\/a>. If you notice your cut isn\u2019t healing within a month, it\u2019s considered a chronic wound and it\u2019s time to talk to a wound care specialist,\u201d Alyssa said.<\/p>\n

    Keeping track of your wound and the stage of healing it\u2019s in can help to identify whether it\u2019s a healing or non-healing wound. Sign of healing include:<\/p>\n