The bleeding scale

Graded by what it takes to stop it — not by how much blood you see.

Grade 1

Stops itself

Looks like

  • Paper cut, shaving nick
  • Head on a cabinet door
  • Scraped knee, hangnail
  • Nicked a fingertip dicing
  • Blister, splinter, torn nail

What stops it

Nothing. Under a minute on its own. On a blood thinner it acts like a Grade 2.

Use

A bandage

Grade 2

Stops with pressure

Looks like

  • Knife slip into the palm
  • Broken glass in the sink
  • Box cutter, mandoline
  • Dog bite, hand through glass
  • Bad fall on gravel

What stops it

10 to 20 minutes of committed pressure. Soaks through towels. Still an ER trip for stitches.

Use

SEAL OTC 1.5 oz

Grade 3

Pressure is not enough

Looks like

  • Chainsaw kickback to the leg
  • Angle grinder, table saw
  • Car accident, glass and metal
  • Gunshot, animal attack
  • Neck, armpit, groin

What stops it

Pack it and hold two-handed pressure 3 to 5 minutes. Same SEAL medicine as OTC — PRO holds more.

Use

SEAL PRO 2.5 oz

Grade 4

Minutes to live

Looks like

  • Traumatic amputation
  • Arterial spurting, arm or leg
  • Crush or degloving injury
  • Open fracture, artery involved
  • Multiple wounds at once

What stops it

Spray SEAL. Get a tourniquet on. Call for help. Unconscious in 60 to 90 seconds if it is femoral.

Use

SEAL → Tourniquet → Call

OTC and PRO are the same medicine. PRO is a bigger can for bigger bleeds — not a stronger formula.