Lip Cut: How to Care for Your Child

Cuts can happen on the inside or outside of the lip. Often, they're not deep and can heal on their own. After examining your child and cleaning the cut, the health care provider could see that the cut did not need stitches. Follow the health care team's directions to help the cut heal more quickly.

• You can give medicine for pain if your health care provider says it's OK. Use these medicines exactly as directed:

  • acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand)OR

  • ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Don't give to babies under 6 months old.

• For the next few days while your child's cut is healing:

  • Offer soft foods that are easy to eat.

  • Avoid hard foods that make crumbs or that stretch the lips when taking large bites.

  • Avoid salty and spicy foods.

• Have your child rinse the mouth with water after snacks and meals.

• Don't pull on the lip to check the cut or pick at scabs that form. This can cause bleeding.

• Your child has redness, warmth, or swelling around the wound. This could be the start of an infection.

• Pus drains from the wound.

• Your child has a fever.

• The wound starts bleeding and doesn't stop bleeding after light pressure is applied.

What should I expect as the cut heals? As the cut heals, it may ooze a small amount of bloody or clear fluid that dries to form a scab. This will eventually fall off. A scab on the inside of the lip may look white.

Will a lip cut leave a scar? Most small cuts on the inside or outside of the lip will leave a very small scar that will fade over time.