Abrasion
Definition
A wound where friction or tangential force removes the superficial layers of skin without penetrating the full thickness. Abrasions preserve the direction of force and may embed material from the causative surface.
- Depth
- Limited to the epidermis only, does not penetrate full skin thickness
- Healing
- Heals without scarring
- Cause
- Friction or compression against a rough surface
Common questions
What makes an abrasion different from other wounds?+
An abrasion stays superficial, scraping only the outer layer of skin (the epidermis) without cutting through to deeper tissue. It heals without leaving a scar. Other wounds like lacerations or stab injuries penetrate deeper and often leave permanent marks.
Can abrasions tell you anything about how an injury happened?+
Yes. Abrasions preserve the direction of the force that caused them, so investigators can read the wound to understand the angle and direction of the blow or friction. They may also contain embedded material from whatever surface caused the injury, which can be collected as evidence.
What are the main types of abrasion?+
Abrasions include graze (from sliding friction), pressure (from compression against a rough surface), imprint or patterned (showing the shape of what caused it), and postmortem (those that occur after death). Each type provides different clues about the circumstances of injury.
Related terms
- Contusion (Bruise)
- Blunt-force trauma that ruptures small vessels beneath an intact skin surface. Blood collects in the tissue. Location, size, and shape can indicate...
- Incised Wound
- A wound produced by a sharp-edged implement. Margins are clean, without contusion or bridging. Depth is less than length in a classic...
- Laceration
- A wound torn by blunt or shearing force, characterised by ragged, contused margins and tissue bridges crossing the wound depths. The distinction...
- Stab (Punctured) Wound
- Wound produced by a pointed weapon where depth is greater than length on the skin; gives the best clue to weapon dimensions.
- Abraded Collar
- 1 to 3 mm rim of grazed skin around a firearm entry wound caused by the bullet stretching and scraping the skin...
- Avulsion
- Tearing away of tissue, leaving a flap or a gap. Avulsions convey information about the direction of force because tissue pulls away...
- Chop Wound
- Combined incised and lacerated injury from a heavy edged weapon (axe, kulhari), often involving underlying bone.
- Defence Wound
- Injury sustained while warding off an attack, typically incised or stab wounds on the palms, fingers, ulnar borders of forearms or back...
- Grievous Hurt
- Hurt falling within any of the eight clauses of BNS 2023 Section 116 (emasculation, vision loss, hearing loss, member or joint deprivation,...
- Injury
- Any harm whatever illegally caused to a person in body, mind, reputation or property (BNS 2023 Section 2(14), carrying forward IPC Section...
- Patterned Injury
- A wound whose shape reflects the object that caused it, such as a bite leaving individual tooth impressions, a cord leaving parallel...
- Simple Hurt
- Any hurt that does not fall within the eight clauses of grievous hurt under BNS 2023 Section 116; punishable under Section 115.
Explained in these topics
- Injuries and Wounds: Types, Medicolegal Importance and Gunshot WoundsSuperficial injury limited to the epidermis caused by friction; types include graze, pressure, imprint (patterned) and postmortem.
- Mechanical Injuries: Abrasions, Bruises, Incised and Stab WoundsSuperficial injury limited to the epidermis caused by friction or compression against a rough surface. Heals without scar.
- Wound Terminology and Injury DocumentationA wound where friction or tangential force removes the superficial layers of skin without penetrating the full thickness. Abrasions preserve the direction of f...