The invention described herein relates to methods for reducing and/or stopping bleeding or fluid loss from open wound, denuded tissue, or burned skin, comprising the step of applying to the open wound, denuded tissue or burned skin a gel-forming composition comprising at least one of the following compositions: a polyacrylic acid having the structural formula [CH.sub.2.dbd.CHCO.sub.2H].sub.n, where n is between 10,000 and 70,000; a polyacrylic acid and a desiccated water soluble organic or inorganic base; polyacrylic acid and a desiccated poorly soluble basic salt, and a polyvinyl alcohol having the structural formula of [CH.sub.2.dbd.CHOH].sub.n, where n is between 15,000 and 150,000. When the gel-forming composition is applied to the open wound, denuded tissue, or burned skin, its ions react therein in the presence of water from blood or body fluid therein to form an aqueous gel or mucilage having sufficient viscosity and adhesiveness to cover and adhere to the open wound, denuded tissue, or burned skin so that bleeding or fluid loss is thereby reduced and/or stopped.