Anahad O'Connor has a small weekly feature called "Really?", which appears in the Science section of the New York Times every Tuesday.

It's excellent: he takes a look at commonly held beliefs, does the research, then reports on his findings, often surprisingly at odds with what even the majority of experts in a field still believe.

For example, last week's column, on the best way to care for a cut or scrape, contradicts what I - a licensed medical doctor, board-certified, with years of experience as a general and family practitioner before going into anesthesiology (didn't know that, did you? But I digress) have been advising people to do since forever.

And my advice, even as it was, was far better than what most people still do.

The worst thing you can do for a small wound is put iodine or Mercurochrome on it.

These substances have been shown to cause tissue damage and impede healing.

They do nothing but cause pain and discomfort.

If you have any in your medicine chest, throw it out. Now.

Reading Anahad's story, I realize only now, many years after the fact, that the crazy girl - a fellow summer camper - who was constantly picking her scabs, with blood always running down her legs, was simply far ahead of her time.

They humiliated Galileo, too, so at least this poor soul was in good company.

She's probably a plastic surgeon now.

Here's the story, most useful and informative.

You better print it out, because when you offer the advice you're about to read, people will say you're nuts.
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The Claim: To Heal a Cut, Keep It Dry and Leave It Alone

THE FACTS - Most people are taught by their parents how to treat a small wound: stop the bleeding, clean it up, let it get some air, and - most important - never pick the scab.

But dermatologists believe that this advice, often passed down through generations, is outdated.

In most cases, once a cut or scrape is clean and the bleeding has stopped, doctors advise just the opposite: soaking and slowly removing the scab, then keeping the area moist with antibacterial ointment or bacitracin.

Research has shown that a moist environment will speed up healing and reduce scarring.

"Any cut that goes through the entire thickness of the skin is going to produce a scar, but there are things you can do to make it look better," said Dr. Olivia Hutchinson, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan.

Never leave a small wound exposed or allow it to breathe.

A Band-Aid can ward off infection and prevent a scab from forming.

It might also protect the area from sunlight, which stimulates the production of pigment and causes discoloration.

Most stores now carry new "liquid" bandages, gel-like versions of traditional Band-Aids that discourage scabbing.

The liquid forms a transparent film that seals in moisture. As the skin replaces itself, the gel simply sloughs off - leaving any hair behind.

THE BOTTOM LINE - Keeping a wound moist and covered promotes healing and minimizes scarring.