Press the artery against the bone. Stop pressing about a minute after the bleeding stops. If bleeding starts again, reapply pressure to the pressure point. Don't use a tourniquet. With most everyday cuts and scrapes, first aid is plenty.
Tourniquets are extreme and dangerous.
Broad-spectrum antibacterial ointments work best, according to James J. Leyden, M.D., professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. People who use a triple antibiotic ointment and the right kind of bandage heal 30 percent faster, says Patricia Mertz, research associate professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine, who studies how wounds heal. They can cause an allergic reaction. If you have an allergic reaction to the ointment, your scrape will get red and itchy and may become infected. When exposed to air, cuts form scabs, which slow down new cell growth, says Mertz.