When a Cut or Sore Keeps Reopening: Signs It Needs Medical Care

IN THIS ARTICLE

1. What Normal Wound Healing Looks Like
2. Why a Cut or Sore Might Keep Reopening
3. Signs a Cut or Sore Needs Medical Care
4. What an Infected or Non-Healing Wound May Look Like
5. Could a Sore That Won’t Heal Be Something More Serious?
6. Why Seeing a Dermatologist Matters
7. When to Seek Professional Care
8. Don’t Ignore a Wound That Isn’t Healing
9. Frequently Asked Questions Cut That Won’t Heal

Your body’s healing mechanism responds immediately if your skin gets injured. This wound healing process happens in predictable stages. 

1. Blood clots and scabs form

Within 10 to 13 seconds, blood clots to stop the bleeding. After a few hours, a scab develops to protect the injured area. 

2. Inflammation begins

You may notice swelling, tenderness, and redness after one to three days, which are all normal. This is a sign your immune system is robust and well-functioning.

3. New skin cells grow

A few more days later, the skin starts repairing the compromised skin barrier and slowly shrinks and closes the wound. 

4. Tissue remodels

After around three weeks, the skin begins remodeling. The skin strengthens, and the area may look pink or slightly darker until the wound completely fades. 

Wounds generally heal in 4 to 6 weeks. Small cuts typically heal within days, while slightly deeper wounds may take a few weeks to get better. 

If you’re dealing with a cut that won’t heal, there’s usually an identifiable reason. Here are the most common causes.

• Repeated friction or irritation: Friction from clothing and repetitive motion can reopen wounds that have begun to close. 
• Infection: The wound heals more slowly when bacteria enter open skin. 
• Inflammation or underlying skin conditions: Eczema, psoriasis, and other conditions can cause the skin to repeatedly crack. 
• Circulation or immune-related factors: Diabetes and circulatory problems can delay the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the injured skin, slowing healing. 

If you have any of these, even a small cut can turn into a wound that lingers for months.

Here’s when a cut that won’t heal requires professional evaluation. 

• The wound reopens repeatedly
• There’s increasing redness, swelling, or pain
• Presence of drainage or pus
• Bleeding that won’t stop
• It’s not healing after 2-3 weeks

A small cut or sore that remains open, keeps breaking down, or is irritated suggests that something deeper is interfering with healing. 

Below are signs that may indicate a wound is not healing as it should.

• Swelling doesn’t improve
• Redness spreads beyond the wound edges
• Surrounding skin looks shiny or fragile
• Darkening or unusual discoloration
• Increase in the amount of fluid draining from the wound
• Scab keeps coming off

All wounds shrink with time. However, if a cut: 

• Stays the same size
• Grows slightly larger
• Develops tender edges
• Becomes increasingly tender

Visit your dermatologist for an evaluation. If symptoms of a non-healing skin wound are worsening instead of improving, infection or inflammation may be present.

Yes, it’s possible. Occasionally, a cut that won’t heal can signal skin cancer or a chronic wound. 

Chronic wounds are wounds that fail to heal naturally after six weeks. This can occur because of poor circulation, diabetes-related complications, pressure injury, or repeated trauma. People who smoke habitually, have heart conditions, or diabetes, which disrupts the normal flow of oxygen in the body, are prone to experiencing chronic wounds. 

A slow-healing wound skin that worsens at the same time is also a classic sign of certain types of skin cancer, such as melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Never self-diagnose if you’re unsure of the cause of a stubborn wound. Early assessment makes all the difference.

Despite seeing signs of an infected wound, many patients try to manage a persistent wound at home before seeking help. Visiting a skin doctor early is safer because you:

• Get a proper diagnosis and confirm whether the wound is infected or an early sign of skin cancer. 
• Receive a targeted treatment to address the root cause, allowing the wound to finally heal.
• Prevent complications, such as scarring, deeper infection, and other long-term risks.
• Gain peace of mind from getting a clear answer about what’s causing the wound and how to treat it properly.

Uncertainty often causes more stress than the injury itself. That’s why it’s recommended to see a dermatologist for delayed wound healing to get a proper diagnosis and appropriate wound care treatment.

You should schedule a skin evaluation if:

• A cut hasn’t gotten better after 2-3 weeks. 
• It’s become increasingly painful
• Redness or swelling is spreading
• The wound bleeds repeatedly
• There is yellow or green pus. 
• It looks different from your previous wounds
• The area exudes a foul odor

Addressing these infection symptoms promptly can help prevent complications. 

For those living with diabetes, circulation issues, or immune conditions, seek immediate help if:

• You develop a fever or chills
• Red streaks extend from the wound
• There’s severe pain
• The area has worsened quickly

Diabetes and wound healing are closely linked, as uncontrolled blood sugar can impede the body’s natural repair mechanism. 

For people with compromised immunity, even a small wound can become life-threatening in just weeks. While waiting for your doctor’s appointment, keep the wound clean with mild soap and water and avoid touching the affected area to prevent irritation. 

A cut that won’t heal despite at-home treatments is a sign that your body struggles to repair itself, so don’t ignore it. Sometimes, it’s an early sign of skin cancer. Other times, it’s simply due to infection or friction. Early diagnosis and care can help speed up healing and prevent long-term complications, including scarring. 

Your skin is remarkably resilient, capable of healing most minor injuries without issue. However, if you have a cut or sore that keeps reopening or isn’t healing as expected, the team at Altitude Dermatology can help determine the cause and provide appropriate treatment. Schedule an appointment with us today.