Danish Researcher Explains Why Paper Cuts Hurt So Much

We all have had paper cuts at one time or another. But these cuts have always been a big mystery for many. A scientist was also troubled by the repeated cutting of fingers by paper. So, he decided that he would find out the reason for this. Recently he was successful in his research, but he says that now his further research will face problems due to a small reason. Let’s take a look at his research.

Kaare Jensen, a physicist and researcher at the Technical University of Denmark, began a scientific study of these mysterious paper cuts. In a recent media interaction, the scientist said, “I got a lot of paper cuts, and to be honest, they started to bother me.”

Later, Jensen shared in the journal Physical Review E that the paper posing the greatest risk was just 65 micrometres thick, much like the now little-used dot-matrix printer paper. The magazine’s paper came in second.

The research team collected different paper products, such as tissues, magazines, book pages, printer paper, photos and business cards. They tested them with ballistic gelatin, used to simulate the epidermis. The thickness and angle of cutting the skin were two key factors.

He further added, “Our initial data indicate that a successful paper cut is physically impossible outside a relatively narrow range of thicknesses for a given angle,” the researchers wrote. If too thin, the paper will bump into the skin. If too thick, it will not exert enough pressure to cut. Pressure applied straight down was less likely to cause injury than cutting at an angle.”

Instead of using their research to avoid paper cuts in the future, the team’s study informed the design of a new, single-use tool called the ‘paper machete,’ which can cut fruits, vegetables and poultry. In the future, they hope to test the blade model on human skin, but recruiting for research can be tricky—ideally, they want some test subjects, but volunteers are hard to find.

Paper cuts occur when a piece of thin and sharp material, such as an individual paper sheet, slices your skin. Paper cuts, although termed specifically for cuts caused by paper, can also result from other abrasive, thin materials.

Treatment for a Paper Cut:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Stop the bleeding.

3. Clean the wound.

4. Cover it.