Coral cuts and scrapes in the Red Sea: first aid and infection signs

Most coral cuts and scrapes heal with careful first aid. They need more care than an ordinary cut, because they are often dirty and slow to heal. Clean the cut well, remove any coral, cover it and keep it out of the sea until it heals. See a doctor quickly if it becomes red, swollen, hot or more painful, or if you get a fever.

Coral cut symptoms and healing

Coral cuts and scrapes are most common on the feet, the ankles and the backs of the hands. Some corals also sting with tiny cells, so the area may burn, itch or turn red.

Cuts from the sea are often slow to heal. DermNet, a skin reference, links this to repeated contact with seawater and to sand left in the wound.

Why coral wounds get infected

• Dirt in the wound. The CDC notes that wounds from sea life often contain bacteria and small foreign bodies, such as pieces of coral.
• Sea bacteria. Vibrio bacteria live naturally in coastal seawater, especially when it is warm, and can enter an open wound. One type can cause a fast-spreading skin infection.
• Common germs. The most common cause of wound infection is Staphylococcus aureus.
• Slow infections. Mycobacterium marinum, found in tropical waters, can cause infected sores or patches that do not heal.

Fire coral: a sting, not a cut

Fire coral and some other corals sting rather than cut. Contact causes burning pain and an itchy red rash. For first aid, read our guide to jellyfish, fire coral and other sea stings.

What helps a coral cut

1. Get out of the water. Wash your hands, and put on disposable gloves if you have some.
2. Stop the bleeding. Press on the cut with a clean cloth. Raise the hand or foot if you can.
3. Remove debris. Lift out visible pieces of coral or dirt with tweezers cleaned with alcohol. If something is stuck deep in the cut, leave it and see a doctor.
4. Rinse well. Use clean running water or plenty of bottled water. Wash around the cut with soap, but keep soap out of the wound.
5. Pat dry and cover. Use a sterile dressing or plaster. A thin layer of petroleum jelly keeps the surface moist.
6. Change the dressing at least once a day, or whenever it gets wet or dirty.
7. Ease the pain with paracetamol or ibuprofen if they suit you. Follow the leaflet.
8. Keep it out of the sea until it has closed. If you go in, use a waterproof dressing, then wash the cut with soap and clean running water.

Check the wound every day for signs of infection.

Do you need a tetanus booster?

DermNet recommends tetanus protection after coral injuries. Tetanus is rare but serious, and the risk is higher with large, deep or dirty wounds.

Advice on boosters differs between countries:

• NHS (UK): 5 doses in total count as fully vaccinated. You may need a booster if you have had fewer, or you are not sure.
• CDC (US): stay up to date with a tetanus booster every 10 years.
• Mayo Clinic: a shot is needed for a deep or dirty wound if your last one was over 5 years ago.

If you are not fully vaccinated, or you do not know, see a doctor soon after the injury. They will decide whether you need a booster or another treatment.

What not to do

• Do not leave pieces of coral or sand in the wound.
• Do not go back into the sea with an open, uncovered cut.
• Do not pour hydrogen peroxide or iodine into the wound. Mayo Clinic says both can irritate it.

What you can buy at the pharmacy

Products that can help:

• Sterile wipes, dressings, gauze and waterproof plasters, to clean and cover the cut.
• Antiseptic wipes or cream for the skin around the cut. Ask our pharmacist which one suits you.
• Petroleum jelly, to keep the healing surface moist.
• Tweezers and disposable gloves for your beach bag.
• Painkillers, such as paracetamol (Adol) or ibuprofen.

An infected wound needs a doctor. Antibiotics are prescription-only medicines, so a doctor decides whether you need them. See our first aid range, or read our Ras Mohammed day trip pharmacy kit before a boat day.

How to prevent coral cuts

• Wear reef shoes or water shoes on rocks, on reefs and in shallow water.
• Do not touch, hold or stand on coral, and do not handle unfamiliar sea creatures.
• Take extra care in murky water, where coral is harder to see.
• Cover your skin. The CDC advises people at higher risk of infection to wear clothes and shoes that protect against cuts.
• Check your tetanus vaccination before you travel.

Children, pregnancy and older people

Children. Use the same first aid, and give children reef shoes too. Check that their vaccinations, including tetanus, are up to date. Do not give aspirin to children under 16. Ask our pharmacist before giving any medicine.

Pregnancy. First aid is the same. Paracetamol is usually the preferred painkiller in pregnancy. Avoid ibuprofen unless a doctor or pharmacist advises it. If a doctor suggests a tetanus booster, tell them you are pregnant. The NHS says non-live (inactivated) vaccines are safe in pregnancy.

Older people and long-term conditions. Liver disease, diabetes, cancer and a weak immune system raise the risk of serious Vibrio infection. So do medicines that lower stomach acid. People aged 80 or over, and people with diabetes, are also at higher risk of tetanus. If this applies to you, see a doctor early, even for a small cut.

When to get urgent help

Need help in Sharm?

Need dressings, plasters or painkillers after a coral cut? Message us on WhatsApp or call +20 120 344 2201. Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian, and can tell you if your cut needs a doctor. We have 5 pharmacies across Sharm El Sheikh, and we offer free hotel delivery on orders from $30.