posted: Sep. 05, 2019.
Spider webs were used as bandages in ancient times.
Did you know spider webs serve another purpose other than being the home of your friendly, neighborhood spider? Spider webs make for an excellent natural treatment for healing cuts and scrapes! In ancient Greece and Rome, doctors used spider webs to make bandages for their patients. Spider webs supposedly have natural antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, which can help keep wounds clean and prevent infection. It’s also said that spider webs are rich in vitamin K, which helps promote clotting.
Spider webs are incredibly strong. It’s made from silk produced from the body proteins of the spider, turning it into silk through spinnerets. The spinnerets are located on a spider’s abdomen. Each spider has three or four spinnerets. Inside the spinnerets are numerous spigots connected to a single silk gland. The spider silk starts out in liquid form. As the material is being drawn out of the spider’s body, it begins to harden. This movement changes the structural components of the silk.
Using cobwebs or spider webs has been done since ancient times when Greeks and Romans treated wounded soldiers with it to stop bleeding. Soldiers would also use a combination of honey and vinegar to clean deep wounds and then cover the whole thing with balled-up spider webs.
An open wound treated with a cluster of spider webs will dry out faster. Spider webs have antifungal and antiseptic properties that keep bacteria away, minimizing the chances of an infection. As long as the web is clean, it will not cause any infection or aggravate the wound’s condition at all.
t’s easy to make your own bandage. First, you have to look for a clean spider web — you want a freshly spun web or one that does not have insect corpse in there. If the spider’s in there, remove the little critter carefully and harvest the web.
Then, ball up the spider web and stuff it onto the wound. Make sure all edges are covered by the web. The web has to touch the surface of the wound. Get a sterile cloth and cover the wound with it. This helps secure the web on the wound while also protecting the affected area from the elements. And there you have it, your own bandage made from spider web.
If the spider web has hardened on your wound and it’s hard to remove, just run your wound over warm water. The water will loosen the web, making it easier to remove.
FAQs
A band aid (smaller) is for smaller cuts and scrapes, while a bandage (bigger) can be used to stabilize fractured of broken bones and be wrapped over larger cuts and scrapes. Band aids usually have sticky sides, while bandages sometimes have velcro or clips to stay attached.
What are the three types of bandages? ›
This simple guide breaks down the different types of bandage, their characteristics, use cases and how to apply them. There are three main categories of bandage: roller bandages, triangular bandages and tubular bandages.
What is bandage used for? ›
A bandage is a piece of material used either to support a medical device such as a dressing or splint, or on its own to provide support for the movement of a part of the body. When used with a dressing, the dressing is applied directly on a wound, and a bandage used to hold the dressing in place.
Is it bandages or bandages? ›
Band-Aid is a brand of adhesive bandages distributed by the consumer health company Kenvue, spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023. Invented in 1920, the brand has become a generic term for adhesive bandages in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and others.
Is it better to leave a wound open or Band-Aid? ›
Covering an open wound has quite a few benefits that can help aid in faster healing. Covering a wound also helps create a more moist environment. This has been shown to aid in quicker and more scar-free healing.
Is Liquid Bandage better than Band-Aid? ›
When compared to traditional bandages, liquid bandages can: stick better than fabric or plastic adhesive bandages. provide waterproofing. stay in place in areas that require skin stretching and relaxing, such as an elbow or knuckles.
When should you not use a bandage? ›
Small dry, scabs from minor cuts and scrapes can be left uncovered. Also, pressure ulcers on the heels can often be left open to dry. However, if you're concerned that a wound looks deep, is not healing or might be infected, a healthcare professional should examine it.
What is the first rule in applying bandage? ›
A bandage should never be applied directly over a wound; it should be used only to hold in place the dressing which covers a wound. A bandage should be applied firmly and fastened securely. It should not be applied so tightly that it stops circulation or so loosely that it allows the dressing to slip.
How to cover a wound without a bandage? ›
Clean cloth or fabric: a clean cloth or fabric can be used as an improvised bandage. Ensure it is clean and free from any dirt or contaminants before using it to cover a wound. Clean handkerchiefs: if you have clean handkerchiefs available, they can be used to cover and protect the wound temporarily.
What bandages stick the best? ›
The Best Adhesive Bandages Made to Really Stick
- Band-Aid Brand Clear Strips. ...
- Nexcare Max Hold Waterproof Bandages. ...
- Curad Flex-Fabric Bandages. ...
- Welly Bravery Bandages. ...
- All-Health Flexible Fabric Bandages. ...
- Patch Bandage Strips. ...
- Solimo Flexible Fabric Bandages.
When to stop covering a wound. You should keep a wound moist and covered for about five days. Change the bandage daily (or more, if the cut reopens or begins bleeding again). Reapply petroleum jelly with each change of bandage.
What is the best bandage for wound healing? ›
Hydrocolloid dressings are absorbent pads with a strong adhesive back, often used for low to moderate exudating wounds. The gel-forming agents in these dressings are highly absorbent and help keep the area moist. They help protect the wound from contamination, reduce pain, and promote wound healing.
What is a Band-Aid actually called? ›
An adhesive bandage, also called a sticking plaster, medical plaster, or simply plaster in British English, is a small medical dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full-size bandage.
Is it bandage or Band-Aid solution? ›
A Band-Aid is a small piece of sticky tape that you use to cover small cuts or wounds on your body. If you refer to a Band-Aid solution to a problem, you mean that you disapprove of it because you think that it will only be effective for a short period. We need long-term solutions, not short-term Band-Aid ones.
What is the difference between bandages and bandaging? ›
Covering a break in the skin helps to control bleeding and protect against infection. Dressings are pads of gauze or cloth that can be placed directly against the wound to absorb blood and other fluids. Cloth bandages cover dressings and hold them in place.
Is putting on a Band-Aid considered first aid? ›
The recordkeeping rule defines first aid under section 1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(D), "Using wound coverings, such as bandages, Band-Aids™, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Steri-strips™ (other wound closing devices, such as sutures, staples, etc.
