What type of injury would be classified as an abrasion?

An abrasion is classified as a superficial scrape of the skin that typically does not penetrate deeply into the underlying tissue. This type of injury is characterized by the removal of the outer layer of skin, which can occur from friction against a rough surface, such as when an animal falls or rubs against something abrasive. Abrasions may cause minimal bleeding and often heal relatively quickly since the deeper layers of skin remain intact, allowing for quicker regeneration of the epidermis.

Contrarily, other injuries such as breaks in the skin indicate more serious wound types like lacerations, which involve deeper tissue trauma. A closed muscle contusion refers to a bruise or injury to muscle tissues without breaking the skin, while a puncture wound involves a deep penetration of the skin, usually caused by a sharp object. Each of these injuries involves more critical damage compared to the mild, surface-level trauma represented by an abrasion.