Lacerations are wounds caused by tears in skin, tissue, or muscle. It is possible to have deep or shallow lacerations, long or short lacerations, and wide or narrow lacerations. It is most common for lacerations to occur when the skin hits an object, or if an object hits the skin violently. Cleansing, preparing, and closing a wound are all part of laceration repair.   There are many different types and sizes of lacerations. Cuts, tears, and gashes may appear on open skin. There may be a pain, bleeding, bruising, or swelling as a result of the wound. There may be a lot of bleeding from lacerations in certain areas, such as the scalp. It is possible for the edges of your wound to be close together or far apart. It is possible that you will feel numb around the wound. Under the wound, there may be a decrease in mobility.   There is no need to seek medical attention for minor lacerations (that are shallow, small, not bleeding, and clean). It may only be necessary to apply antibiotic ointment and wrap the wound with a bandage. The majority of lacerations do need to be repaired, however.   Lacerations need to be cleaned and prepared for repair to prevent infection and scarring. In addition to removing dirt, cleaning also removes germs that can cause infections. No matter what method is used for wound closure, wound cleaning follows the same steps. Scarring may be less noticeable with preparation to smooth out jagged edges.