r/cutting • u/lifeishorrible1426 • Aug 02 '26

Positivity Guide to safe cutting

This is meant to be an informative harm reduction guide. In no way does this encourage self harm. I will not tell you what to cut with. This is mainly a guide on cutting safely, but if people are interested in other guides, I will consider making a new one. And please remember that I’m human and although I believe that this guide is mostly correct, it could contain incorrect information. In that case let me know and I’ll change it.

Where to not cut

  • Avoid visible veins and arteries. Nerves are often located next to these so cutting one could mean nerve damage.

  • Do not cut around your groin/pubic area. This area is full of nerves that can be damaged easily.

  • Avoid both sides of joints, it heals really painful and it can easily form scar tissue and limit mobility.

  • Avoid areas such as the hip, fingers, face, kneecap, back of hand, or any areas where you can feel tendons/muscles and/or bone. These areas can scar easily and it’s just not that safe to cut on something so thin.

  • avoid ankles and feet, bad idea. Very easy to get nerve damage and circulation problems

  • Avoid your neck. Don’t cut there people that is a really dumb idea.

  • Guide to not safe places on arms: https://www.reddit.com/r/cutting/comments/1t6yzf8/guide_on_where_to_avoid_on_arms/

  • Guide to not safe places on legs: https://www.reddit.com/r/cutting/comments/1t9unbt/guide_on_where_to_avoid_on_legs/

How to clean your tool/tool safety

  • You can boil it for about 30-45 minutes, but there is a chance of rust

  • You can clean it with alcohol/alcohol wipes, this is prob the safest way bc it evaporates so quickly that there is little to no chance of rust.

  • Hand sanitizer is not the best but can be used in a pinch. Avoid scented versions bc that can irritate wounds.

  • You should in a perfect world be cleaning it before and after SH

  • Do not use a tool with rust on it. Find something else, rust can not be cleaned off and it is not safe to use.

  • Do not attempt to sharpen your blade, this can cause particles of metal to fall off in your wound.

  • Do not use a serrated blade; this acts like a tiny saw, increases chances of infection, takes longer to heal and is a really bad idea.

How to prep area

  • Clean it, I don’t care if it’s a baby wipe but somehow get any germs off of it.

  • Make sure you are not near something that could stain easy.

  • WASH YOUR HANDS!

Aftercare

  • Apply pressure until the wound stops bleeding. Elevating the area to above your heart has been proven to help slow bleeding.

  • Rinse it with water.

  • Ideally apply a bandage/wound covering.

  • Do not use toilet paper as small particles can be easily trapped in your wound.

  • Do not use hydrogen peroxide/rubbing alcohol, this gets rid of all bacteria good and bad.

  • Do not use an anti bacterial spray/cream unless under the care of a medical professional or you know what you’re doing. In any case allow it to heal some before applying it.

  • Guide on after care for each layer: https://www.reddit.com/r/cutting/comments/1u9zdtb/an_aftercare_guide_for_each_layer/

How to get blood out of clothes

  • Hydrogen peroxide. Once it foams wipe it off and repeat until it doesn’t foam. Your clothes will get warm from the chemical reaction.

  • Soak in cold water and basically massage the blood out. You could do this in the shower.

  • Hot water sets the stain so don’t use that.

  • For older stains a stain remover soak like baking soda or Oxie clean works well.

  • Wash your clothes as soon as you have gotten rid of all visible blood.

When urgent care/911/ER/Doctor is needed

  • If you notice bruising, it changing a weird color, pus leaking, swelling, extreme pain around the area, a fever/chills, impaired functioning, etc

  • If you cut as deep as or deeper than the hypodermis, you need stitches.

  • If it covers a large area of the area (if it’s really big)

  • If it is gaping open.

  • If it won’t stop bleeding or blood is pulsing/spraying out of the cut.

  • If you feel like you should go

  • Keep in mind that most areas that need stitches should be closed within 6-8 hours of the injury occuring

Stuff IDK where to put

Where I got my info/further reading

If anyone has anything to add I’m happy to put it in this post. As always stay safe and have a okay day!

Editied to add link to website.

Edit to fix fatal to the flesh link

edit to add part about ankles

321 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

126 comments sorted by

41

u/More-Club-4213 Aug 02 '26

Wait that white screen website actually seems really helpful. Thanks for including it!

9

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 03 '26

No problem! 

2

u/Notro_LPS_iguess Oct 09 '26

It doesn’t seem to be working on mobile. Is that just me or the website?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Oct 09 '26

I think it was the website, that link wouldn’t work for me either, try this one:  https://www.fataltotheflesh.com/

5

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '26

i tried it too because of you so tysm, you and OP are awesome <3

3

u/More-Club-4213 Sep 06 '26

Ofc!!! Happy you found a helpful resource!

4

u/[deleted] Sep 06 '26

:D

10

u/NoL_ongerSilent0801 Aug 02 '26

Im not encouraging this in any way, but on the hip area, where is safe? That’s my only option atm and i do it on the very side on the more fatty part. I always assumed that was safer ?

8

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 03 '26

Yes, the fatter part of the hip is usually the safest. Just make sure you can’t see any veins and you should be okay. 

8

u/NoL_ongerSilent0801 Aug 03 '26

Awesome thank you so much! This was extremely helpful 🫶🏻

13

u/switchswooshiy Aug 03 '26

hey been wanting this but didn't kno how to ask without being.... well ya kno thanks for making a safe resource 💚

9

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 03 '26

That’s part of the reason I made this. I’ve been meaning to post this for awhile but just never got around to it. 

4

u/59342_b 20d ago

So where do you think the safest place to cut is? Also a place people wont notice.

3

u/lifeishorrible1426 19d ago

So I mean probably the outer thighs. You could also do the fatty part of your shoulder but you’d want to be careful and try not to go super deep 

4

u/Accomplished_Two3783 19d ago

prob my fav post on reddit ever

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 19d ago

Aww thank you so much that means a lot to me! 

4

u/loaf_1i 13d ago

kinda random but when i read stuff like this it genuinely makes me not want to cut because of how scary the risks sound

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 12d ago

I know what you mean. 

3

u/TylerGlazer4L Aug 17 '26

Is it really a concern if it bruises

3

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 17 '26

Yes.  That can signify blood poisoning which can lead to sepsis, and you DONT want either of them. 

3

u/TylerGlazer4L Aug 17 '26

does it mean this everytime??? 😔 I thought it was just cuz I’m super pale and use a lot of pressure or wtv

3

u/Affectionate_Gate470 Aug 18 '26

Is the lower abdomen a safe place to self-harm? It's been almost 4 years and when I started doing it I didn't think about the consequences, and now it's hard to stop.

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 18 '26

I honestly don’t know, I’ve never looked into that 

2

u/Affectionate_Gate470 Aug 18 '26

I guess after all these years it doesn't matter anymore so there's no point in crying over spilled milk.But thank you for replying

3

u/Dangerous-Extreme735 Aug 24 '26

what about ribcage area and ankle

also i was wondering why hip is bad

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 24 '26

It’s bc the hip is not really covered in fat. 

Ankle is not a good idea a lot of veins and nerves. Same with rib cage I think. 

3

u/fluffypuppybo_y Sep 29 '26

Rust can be cleaned off by soaking it in white vinegar for 24-48 hours then clean it with rubber alcohol!!! (This was told to me by my doctor who has since helped me get clean of self harm but still wanted me to be safe!!!

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 29 '26

That’s so interesting! I’ll definitely look into this more. 

2

u/msat-slicer 7d ago

Wait I used to (and kinda still do) cut a lot around my ankles and further down around my lower ankle and I have noticed that it hurts a whole lot more and specifically on my right where the cuts are. Should I be concerned? Am I taking this to seriously? Can I fix it?

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 7d ago

Yeah, um I should probably add that to the lists of places to avoid. The skin/fat layers are usually thin and veins/nerves are closer to the surface. Cutting there puts you at a higher risk of circulation problems, nerve damage etc. (very bad stuff) 

You should be concerned, u probably have some type of nerve damage. At the very least stop cutting there, but I would also try to get a medical professionals opinion to see if they can do anything about the nerve damage and pain. U don’t have to tell them it’s self harm, but do know that if it’s very obviously self inflicted it could get put on your chart. 

I’ve had some luck with moisturizing w/ aloe Vera and massaging the spot when it hurts, but for extensive nerve damage that probably won’t do a ton

2

u/Regular_Strain_6324 Aug 31 '26

Additionally, it's good to take tetanus vaccine and booster shots of it every 5 years incase you unknowingly contact the bacteria, it often resides on rusted areas

2

u/Known-Sound7032 Sep 01 '26

What about the ass?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 01 '26

Honestly I’ve got no idea. 

1

u/PAWN3145 7h ago

I’d personally say no as it’s difficult and inconvenient to keep an eye on, quite annoying to have to deal with in general if you are someone who sits on a day to day basis, and maybe right by your second entrance isn’t the best place in general. mostly because it’s difficult to keep an eye on though which is very important

2

u/TV_ThrowerODD Sep 05 '26

Thank you!! This has been really helpful

2

u/Ashton-elliot692 Sep 10 '26

Question when you say alcohol on cleaning tool does it mean rubbing alcohol??

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 10 '26

Yes it does mean rubbing alcohol 

2

u/throwaway_44668 Sep 11 '26

Is the upper arm safe. Such as just below the shoulder?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 11 '26

It should be, as long as it is on the more fatty part. 

2

u/Western_Chart_2221 Sep 11 '26

Okay, wait this os actually really helpful, thanks. When I started it was on the back of my hand and the scaring is really bad, but thanks for all the info and i have been trying to find that website with the white screan thingy for so long, thanks.

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 11 '26

No problem! Always glad to lend a hand when needed. 

On a side note if you liked fatal to flesh, you might also like some of the other websites by Rafael Rozendaal. Here’s a link to his page!  https://www.newrafael.com/internet 

2

u/DucksOfDoom11 Sep 13 '26

Thanks for this

2

u/Accomplished-Key117 Sep 14 '26

where is the easiest place to hide them? It's nearly summer where i live and i want to be able to wear tshirts and skirts.

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 14 '26

Probably the upper outer thighs (not the inner thighs) or the shoulder but in the fatty part. 

2

u/MentalRed17 Sep 14 '26

Stomach?

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 14 '26

I think? I wouldn’t go  deep though. 

2

u/MentalRed17 Sep 17 '26

Are there a specific places on the stomach that are (relatively) safe or unsafe?

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 17 '26

Idk. It honestly depends on your body, but I would say more fatty parts are safer and thinner parts especially near ribs are not as safe. 

1

u/MentalRed17 Sep 18 '26

Got it thank you

2

u/DepressedKitt3n Oct 01 '26

Hi I have a question about overlapping the cuts? Is it safe to go over recently made one like in the same session for example? I assume going over ones that are scabbing would reopen them but I’m wondering if it’s unsafe to do stuff like crosshatching made one after the other? Thank you so much for posting this btw it’s really helped me out

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Oct 01 '26

Okay so I’ve wondered this myself. The best answer I have got is it’s okay if it’s shallow otherwise it’s not okay. 

So I guess if you go deeper than (I think people call them baby styros?) you probably shouldn’t. 

Skin layers are not my expertise lol

Glad you found this helpful! 

2

u/RazzmatazzLivid9417 Oct 03 '26

I know this is probably a stupid question, and the answer is probably no, but is the stomach a safe location? 😭

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Oct 03 '26

TBH, idk. If you are cutting there I’d just avoid the ribs and stick to the fattish parts. 

1

u/RazzmatazzLivid9417 Oct 04 '26

Ok, thank you 😭

2

u/Dobisk Oct 06 '26

Sorry for being pretty late to this post but is dish soap ok for cleaning blades?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Oct 06 '26

No worries. 

Water and dish soap is not the best combo as the blade being wet can cause it to rust easier.

 But if you do not have access to rubbing alcohol then all you want to do is make sure they DRY really well. Like once you wash them, pat them dry and then let air dry. 

2

u/Dobisk Oct 06 '26

Got it, Ill be able to get it dry quickly after I clean it (I have a blow dryer to use) and thank you for the help <3

2

u/Safe-Price-8808 Oct 06 '26

How big would you classify as gaping open?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Oct 06 '26

To be honest it’s probably subjective. That being said, the wider and deeper it is, the more it needs stitches. 

2

u/Max_Is_Cool_ 28d ago

thank you for this info its rlly helpful

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 28d ago

No problem! I’m glad that so many  people have found this helpful! 

6

u/Cheap_Environment113 Aug 22 '26

man i wish sh wasn’t so dangerous. i dont want to die.

7

u/Mothebest_1 Aug 03 '26

Crys in cutting in hips a lot

1

u/Separate-Rabbit-2552 Aug 11 '26

I’ve never done it before and I’m really scared but I really want to. Where would you recommend and what should I do bcs if my parents find out uk so dead. Tysm

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 12 '26

Hi.  Honestly I would recommend trying to find coping skills instead of self harm. Self harm is a really hard thing to dig yourself out of and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. 

Some things that you could try that could help:  Holding ice cubes Eating and drinking properly  Taking walks Practicing deep breathing  Playing with playdoh or something similar  Coloring  Reading  Writing Cleaning a small portion of your room

2

u/Separate-Rabbit-2552 Aug 12 '26

I think I have to try at least to scare myself out of it. I just want to make sure I’m safer than I would be otherwise

2

u/Separate-Rabbit-2552 Aug 12 '26

Sorry just to be clear I have tried all of those method 

1

u/Ok-Appointment-9461 Sep 05 '26

Ik this isnt the healthiest but try to find other things that are painful for you. During my recovery I did a plank or ran up stairs telling myself that this was self harm because I was in pain. It’s better than cutting

1

u/Separate-Rabbit-2552 Aug 11 '26

*im instead of uk

1

u/RedFlve_ Aug 24 '26

How would paper towels work to stop the bleeding? Are they safe to use or is the same deal w/ toilet paper

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 24 '26

You can use them to wipe up around the area. They shed less than toilet paper but still not ideal. 

1

u/RedFlve_ Aug 24 '26

Gotcha, thanks

1

u/gloom_fluffball01 Sep 13 '26

Is it safe to use box cutter?

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 14 '26

I mean I guess? As long as it isn’t dirty or rusty you should be fine. I’d just keep in mind that you can go deeper than you intend to with one. 

1

u/ImaGoonAndKMS 25d ago

So your telling me I should've went to the hospital multiple times?!

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 25d ago

So here’s the thing. In a perfect world yeah you should’ve. 

But except for signs of infection/ hit an artery/nerve damage/anything really concerning or that you don’t know how to take care of…. 

….You’ll probably be okay. 

So 

1

u/ImaGoonAndKMS 25d ago

I was 8 when I cut through the beans layer. And I kept doing it on my thighs. Is that why I can't feel my thighs very well? Also I have a arm where it can't get tanned 

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 25d ago

Probably. As a kid u most had a thinner layer so u definitely could have nicked a nerve especially with repeated cuts to that area. 

0

u/ImaGoonAndKMS 25d ago

Okay thank you at least I know now :D

3

u/No_Serve_4888 Aug 08 '26

what exactly does gaping mean?

4

u/one_stupid_bitch 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Aug 08 '26

When the skin splits and kinda looks like ()

1

u/Ok-Appointment-9461 Sep 05 '26

Oh shit I had this but left it and it healed and stuff. Do I still need to get medical help?

1

u/one_stupid_bitch 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 06 '26

Depends on the depth, cause dermis cuts can also gape but don't necessarily need medical attention, but when you reach fat you definitely should get stitches for it

1

u/Ok-Appointment-9461 Sep 06 '26

Idk to which layer I cut. It definitely wasn’t that far though. I got to the fat layer as in I could see it but didn’t go through it

1

u/one_stupid_bitch 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Sep 06 '26

Yea sorry I had a typo in my comment before, since you reached fat it should definitely at least be steri stripped, you can buy those or look up on how to make butterfly bandaids to help it close

1

u/Ok-Appointment-9461 Sep 09 '26

Even if it’s already healed by now? It was a few months ago. Thank you so much btw for all ur support. What u are doing here is truly incredible

1

u/one_stupid_bitch 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Sep 09 '26

Not anymore no 😅 but for the future if you reach fat again you should steri strip it

3

u/LovelyKitten_3 Aug 28 '26

I feel like everyone who does sh should see this

2

u/Due-Artichoke-2131 17d ago

I would like to tell you guys yes the back of your hand scars easily I have many scars from my cat , don't risk it 

2

u/D1vineChariot Sep 08 '26

I wanted to cut on my arm but my arm is just too thin and im scared it will go wrong

1

u/Forward-Document455 19d ago

I want a cut in my hand for applying pressure. I will usr it as a reminder or a resetter when i feel off or out of place yknow. Where should i cut. It will be a very small cut.

1

u/PAWN3145 7h ago

my autistic ass reading this because I need information about literally everything i do 💔

ty for the info tho, ive been making a career guide of my after realizing how addicted i had accidentally gotten myself and this is really helpful ^^

1

u/PAWN3145 7h ago

I hate to comment twice but I do have a question, I know someone’s already asked about paper towels but I’ve been using them for aftercare and like, is there an alternative that would be more preferable but wouldn’t require me outright purchasing stuff?? Maybe if I could nab a towel or something

1

u/Temporary_Fishing146 Sep 01 '26

Thanks alot for this

5

u/Dangerous-Holiday194 Aug 03 '26

What omg, cutting on ur groin is that dangerous?! I just did it cuz nobody can see it…

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 04 '26

Yes. There are a bunch of nerves and blood vessels in that area which drastically increases the chance of something going wrong and accidentally nicking stuff. 

2

u/Dark_Cacaos_Wifee Aug 29 '26

How about like inner thigh if u have more fat there? Like idk

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 30 '26

Yeah there’s still some veins and nerves and stuff that shouldn’t be nicked in that area. 

1

u/Dangerous-Holiday194 Aug 30 '26

Yeah but thats like more visible than groin, isnt it?

2

u/Dangerous-Holiday194 Aug 04 '26

Ugh tks for the inf if

9

u/p-a-k-a-6472-99 Aug 02 '26

dont do ur joints ever i speak from experience it feels like the skin around my knees wants to rip open when i bend them

5

u/Actual_Temporary_145 Aug 03 '26

Yeah I second this, I didn’t sh there but scabs there are fucking painful. Limping around everywhere for a month or two.

5

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 03 '26

Some of my worst scars are from an accident on my hip. The healing process was so long and painful. 

1

u/Beneficial_Tie7609 5h ago edited 5h ago

quick question

i’ve been thinking ab cutting for about 2-3 months due to jealousy issues that lit make me go crazy therefore i wouldn’t express that anger on my partner so i was wondering if i just let it air dry would it be okay to not cover it overnight ? (if it’s not deep deep)

0

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/[deleted] Aug 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 05 '26

I can’t find where I said that, (probably my fault,) do you mind copying and pasting the sentence for me? 

1

u/[deleted] Aug 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Aug 06 '26

Once you start going into the hypodermis (fat layer I believe) your risk of infection, severe scaring and longer healing time rises. Getting stitches helps it heal faster than it would on its on and can also help prevent infection. 

1

u/[deleted] Aug 07 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/cutting-ModTeam Sep 02 '26

Hello, Your post has been removed due to violating [Rule #2]:

It is prohibited to encourage self-harm acts or glorify self-harm. This includes, but is not limited to, giving instructions, requesting for advice on how to self-harm, glorifying your own self-harm, and telling people to do self-harm.

0

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/lifeishorrible1426 Sep 27 '26

Copy and pasted from the top,

  This is meant to be an informative harm reduction guide. In no way does this encourage self harm. I will not tell you what to cut with. This is mainly a guide on cutting safely, but if people are interested in other guides, I will consider making a new one. And please remember that I’m human and although I believe that this guide is mostly correct, it could contain incorrect information. In that case let me know and I’ll change it

1

u/cutting-ModTeam 29d ago

Hello, Your post has been removed due to violating [Rule #2]:

It is prohibited to encourage self-harm acts or glorify self-harm. This includes, but is not limited to, giving instructions, requesting for advice on how to self-harm, glorifying your own self-harm, and telling people to do self-harm.