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Don't use Neosporin initially-- you're actually more likely to get infected. Once infected, then topical antibiotics may help.
After the injury, rinse wound with copious water to remove foreign material. Dab it dry, or better, air dry-- maybe use a hair dryer. (Bacteria need to be in contact with peroxide for 20 minutes before it kills them-- don't bother with peroxide unless you want to soak the wound for that long.)
Slop good ol' petroleum jelly on gauze pads to conform to the shape/size of the wound. This acts as "artificial skin" to keep moisture in and prevent the gauze from sticking and tearing up new healing tissue when you change dressings every 2-3 days.....Use paper med tape to secure smaller patches of gauze, or wrap rolled gauze around a limb for larger wounds.
Pus accumulating in the wound is normal healing process. More than a small area of redness around the wound after a couple days is suggestive of infection and may require oral antibiotics. Don't worry about washing off pus when you change dressings unless it's copious and drooling out the sides of dressing. Tap water is dirty-- often has Pseudomonas in it.
Wound will heal without a "scab" if the Vaseline dressings are used. The wound will heal from the edges towards the middle at a rate of about 1mm/d from each side.
Don't use Neosporin initially-- you're actually more likely to get infected. Once infected, then topical antibiotics may help.
After the injury, rinse wound with copious water to remove foreign material. Dab it dry, or better, air dry-- maybe use a hair dryer. (Bacteria need to be in contact with peroxide for 20 minutes before it kills them-- don't bother with peroxide unless you want to soak the wound for that long.)
Slop good ol' petroleum jelly on gauze pads to conform to the shape/size of the wound. This acts as "artificial skin" to keep moisture in and prevent the gauze from sticking and tearing up new healing tissue when you change dressings every 2-3 days.....Use paper med tape to secure smaller patches of gauze, or wrap rolled gauze around a limb for larger wounds.
Pus accumulating in the wound is normal healing process. More than a small area of redness around the wound after a couple days is suggestive of infection and may require oral antibiotics. Don't worry about washing off pus when you change dressings unless it's copious and drooling out the sides of dressing. Tap water is dirty-- often has Pseudomonas in it.
Wound will heal without a "scab" if the Vaseline dressings are used. The wound will heal from the edges towards the middle at a rate of about 1mm/d from each side.
shoot a little late on the neosporin; I have been using it since thursday but seems to be healing up nicely. I have not covered it yet though so I guess it will be like that since its slowly starting to scab.
pain is getting less by the day and showers and antiseptic spray is hurting less by the day so I am guessing it is healing well?
shoot a little late on the neosporin; I have been using it since thursday but seems to be healing up nicely. I have not covered it yet though so I guess it will be like that since its slowly starting to scab.
pain is getting less by the day and showers and antiseptic spray is hurting less by the day so I am guessing it is healing well?
Using Neosporin at first is fine and is actually recommended according to my daughter who is a plastic surgeon - she is primarily a reconstructive plastic surgeon, but she also did some special program involving burns and wound healing. Try to keep the Neo slathered on and avoid scabbing. Keep it covered with gauze or bandages or whatever you can. You don't want it to dry out at all. Keep enough Neo on there so that the bandages don't stick and as someone else mentioned, if you need to, get the bandages wet so that they don't rip off any scabs that may have already formed. Try your best to avoid any more scabbing and drying out - that is not good for wound healing.
If that spray you are using stings, I don't think you should be using it. It might be stinging because it contains alcohol, which is not good for a wound. And do avoid using hydrogen peroxide - it is damaging to tissue.
figured I can share an update in case someone ends up getting road rash. never got infected, I never wrapped it up (unless I went dirtbiking again) I always had neosporin and that antiseptic spray and healed up very fast. my skin is back normal with some little flaking.
the only one that is still healing is the deep one near my elbow. I probably should have gotten a skin graph for that, but I dont care about scars on my arms tbh. this big one will def leave a scar, but kept neosporin on it and its healing nice.
some yellow discharge was normal...it was the effect of the neosporin, so dont be alarmed. pain went away after a week 1/2 from being hit by water or so.
first 3 - 4 days was horrible pain wise...but forced myself to wash it with soap and water 2x a day and neosporin all the time on it. even being exposed to the elements, it never got infected and healed up very fast.
Also, no scars from the road rash except that really deep one. but most important, wear gear/armor because road rash sucks haha. even from a bicycle.
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a little late on the neosporin; I have been using it since thursday but seems to be healing up nicely. I have not covered it yet though so I guess it will be like that since its slowly starting to scab.
