Road rash is usually a superficial skin injury that doesn’t require any professional treatment. As long as you take good care of the wound and keep it clean and dry, it should heal on its own within two weeks.
However, if you have a more serious case of road rash, the injury may include deeper layers of skin. If road rash takes longer than two weeks to heal, you should seek medical attention.
If you go to see your healthcare provider for road rash, they will assess the severity by performing a simple physical exam of the affected area.
After a more serious accident or injury, especially one that doesn’t seem to be healing or is causing a lot of pain, the healthcare provider may also perform X-rays and other imaging to check for other injuries, like a broken bone or a foreign object under the skin.
In rare cases where infection or more serious complications are suspected, your healthcare provider may also order blood tests and cultures, as well as monitor your vital signs, such as heart rate, pulse, and oxygen levels.