
Why paper cuts hurts so much - woliveirajr
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160902-why-paper-cuts-hurt-so-much
======
tonyle
Key takeaways.

1\. Fingers are sensitive.

2\. paper has a saw like edge.

3\. paper cuts tears up skin so nerves are exposed to the world.

Not really a lot of substance to this article.

Speaking of saw like edge....
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYfkhdKcEiE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYfkhdKcEiE)

~~~
jfoutz
4\. No blood to make a scab, so pain receptors keep transmitting the pain
signal.

~~~
amelius
This makes me wonder, does it help to make the cut a bit deeper then?

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Stratoscope
The article mentions ointment and bandages, which are of marginal value for a
paper cut. By far the most effective treatment for paper cuts and other small
injuries such as torn hangnails is a liquid bandage like New-Skin:

[http://www.newskinproducts.com/liquid-bandages/liquid-
bandag...](http://www.newskinproducts.com/liquid-bandages/liquid-bandage/)

Don't use any ointment; that will interfere with the bandage sticking to the
cut. The liquid bandage itself prevents infection because it seals the wound
completely and has a mild antiseptic in it. Just wash the cut with water,
followed by some hydrogen peroxide if you have it. Never use rubbing alcohol
on a cut unless you enjoy extreme pain!

Let the cut air dry, then apply a thin layer of the liquid bandage. It may
sting a bit at first, but that only lasts a moment. Wait for it to dry and add
a second layer for more protection, and even a third layer if you want some
cushioning. The thin layers will dry faster than one thick layer. If you
really need some extra cushioning you can put a band-aid on top of the liquid
bandage after it dries.

If the cut is bleeding, you'll need to stop the bleeding first, otherwise it
will seep through the liquid bandage as it dries. You can use pressure or a
band-aid while the bleeding stops. Afterward, still don't use any ointment,
just wash and dry and apply the liquid bandage.

The edges of the dried bandage will tend to peel after a day or so, especially
if if it gets wet for a while. You can just add another layer on top,
especially around the edges, or depending on the cut it may be better to peel
off the old bandage completely and start with a new layer.

I've used this stuff for years and can't recommend it enough. Do yourself a
favor and pick up a bottle or two - I keep one at home, one in the car, and
one in my backpack.

(It should go without saying that I have no connection with this company. But
if you'll forgive a pun, they have saved my skin!)

~~~
YZF
You should avoid both hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol...

"Using hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to clean an injury can actually
harm the tissue and delay healing. The best way to clean a minor wound is with
cool running water and mild soap. Rinse the wound for at least five minutes to
remove dirt, debris, and bacteria." \- WebMD ... But I've seen this in quite a
few places.

~~~
Stratoscope
Thanks for the correction! I missed the edit window for my comment, or I would
have noted it there.

My personal experience after using it probably thousands of times is that a
quick peroxide rinse seems to do some good, and has never done any apparent
harm when followed up with a liquid bandage - at least on the kind of very
minor cut we're talking about here. All the cuts I've treated this way have
healed quickly and cleanly.

But I'll certainly defer to the experts before advising others on this. And
rubbing alcohol is of course very bad news!

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flashman
Some enlarged pictures of paper edges:
[http://nanofabrication.tumblr.com/post/134064732751/a-sheet-...](http://nanofabrication.tumblr.com/post/134064732751/a-sheet-
of-notebook-paper-cut-with-a-knife-torn)

These don't look particularly serrated, but perhaps you need yet higher
magnification. I would think that the stiffness plus thinness of the paper is
enough for it to act like a knife, without needing serrations.

~~~
nerdponx
Those all look pretty brutal to me, like a tiny piece of MDF.

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4ndr3vv
Think you mean OSB, MDF is made of dust and resin

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nerdponx
Yep good catch, thanks

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etendue
This feels like an opportune moment to share the _cortical homunculus_ , "a
neurological 'map' of the anatomical divisions of the body":
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_homunculus](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_homunculus)

~~~
woliveirajr
Never heard of it, interesting to see which areas are nearer some others.

~~~
stronsay
Ever wondered about the popularity of foot fetish? Why would you associate
such a relatively dirty body part with sexual arousal, right? Guess what, the
feet and toes are on the same gyrus as the genitals.

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vacri
Two-point discrimination is an interesting thing to play with. In practical
classes at uni, we did two-point discrimination using a compass (the drawing
kind, not the navigational kind...). Spaces outside your sensitive areas would
have the two points perceived as one quite early - in some areas of the back,
the two points could be 10cm or so apart. Conversely, on the lips or
fingertips, we couldn't get the points of the compass close enough to have
them felt as one point.

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ourmandave
I didn't read the article. But it inspired me to look up the name of that
band-aid proof flap of skin between your thumb and forefinger.

[https://www.reference.com/science/name-area-between-thumb-
in...](https://www.reference.com/science/name-area-between-thumb-index-
finger-a9d0191aa9d60cbf)

Spoiler Alert: Thenar space.

~~~
posterboy
I call it swimskin, because it is the evolved remains of amphibious fin like
hands.

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nahumfarchi
Coming up next: why stepping on a piece of Lego hurts so much.

~~~
amyjess
Or, for that matter, a d4.

Turns out that pressure = force / area means that things are really painful
when area is tiny.

