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I fell on the sidewalk two days ago and scraped a layer of skin about the size of a dollar coin off my palm below the thumb.
I immediately flushed it with water, then poured a peroxide water mixture over it, waited for it to dry a bit, then squirted Neosporin all over the area. Taped a first aid pad (not gauze, something softer but same idea) to cover it. By night I could see some blood soaked it a bit so removed the pad. Except a section stubbornly stuck to half the area. I held my hand under the faucet hoping to soften the gauze to remove it. It stuck fast so I don't want to rip it off which would cause bleeding again.
I repeated the peroxide Neosporin gauze routine again but added more Neosporin so the new layer wouldn't stick. Got a giant bandaid square and added more tape to make it secure and protect it since it is my dominant hand.
Tonight I can see some blood came through the gauze but it seems paler, like oozing liquid the way a burn area might.
I want to change this bandage again. Should I continue doing the same thing every night? Or not get it wet and only add another layer of Neosporin? I am trying to prevent infection.
Can I assume that nickel sized piece of stuck gauze will eventually fall off when the area heals? I try to cut off little pieces as they get loose
I didn't learn this in med school, but by copious experience & trial and error from playing baseball for 40 yrs on the rocky, broken glass-strewn amateur Field of Screams---
After flushing the large chunks of dirt and small animals out of the wound with soap & water, take an appropriate sized gauze pad and smear a thick layer of Vaseline on it in a patch corresponding to the denuded flesh area of the wound. Tape it lightly in place..
The gauze serves to keep you from rubbing the Vaseline off on your clothes. The Vaseline also serves to keep moisture in (an artificial skin, so to speak), and also to prevent the gauze from sticking to the wound and ripping off the healing tissue as you change the dressing every day or two. Just run soapy water over it, rinse and dab dry, or better, air dry at each dressing change.
This method prevents a thick, stiff scab from forming. The scab often fractures with movement, increasing risk of infection, and leads to an uglier scar. This method leads to nice, soft, pink skin.
Do Not use any Neosporin etc antibiotics on the wound. You'll wind up killing more wolves than deer, and the deer population will run wild, delaying healing. (I actually did a small study as an intern. IV sites "protected" with a Neosporin dressing had twice the infection rates as those left without the stuff.)...IF you do get an infection, then that's another story.
Tonight I couldn't peel off that nickel size piece of previous gauze that stuck. It is still saturated with Neosporin so I didn't pour peroxide-water solution over since the area was clean having been covered with a large bandaid with additional tape around the edges. So the area is moist. Just covered it with another clean large bandaid and tape.
The area below on my wrist is slightly reddish purple and swollen I'm assuming from a bruise. I never iced the area after falling. I don't think I broke my wrist because it isn't very sore and I can move it.
So if it doesn't get worse (I'll go to Urgent Care) I will do what you suggested above.
I didn't learn this in med school, but by copious experience & trial and error from playing baseball for 40 yrs on the rocky, broken glass-strewn amateur Field of Screams---
After flushing the large chunks of dirt and small animals out of the wound with soap & water, take an appropriate sized gauze pad and smear a thick layer of Vaseline on it in a patch corresponding to the denuded flesh area of the wound. Tape it lightly in place..
The gauze serves to keep you from rubbing the Vaseline off on your clothes. The Vaseline also serves to keep moisture in (an artificial skin, so to speak), and also to prevent the gauze from sticking to the wound and ripping off the healing tissue as you change the dressing every day or two. Just run soapy water over it, rinse and dab dry, or better, air dry at each dressing change.
This method prevents a thick, stiff scab from forming. The scab often fractures with movement, increasing risk of infection, and leads to an uglier scar. This method leads to nice, soft, pink skin.
Do Not use any Neosporin etc antibiotics on the wound. You'll wind up killing more wolves than deer, and the deer population will run wild, delaying healing. (I actually did a small study as an intern. IV sites "protected" with a Neosporin dressing had twice the infection rates as those left without the stuff.)...IF you do get an infection, then that's another story.
I normally rep a comment but can't because I've handed out too much rep in the last 24 hours. Always appreciate your input.
I'm not big on using Vaseline, never was. I read years ago that it's a byproduct of petroleum. Do you have any thoughts about that? Do you think it's minor amounts that won't matter?
I pumped gas all of my life at my dad's gas and service station. I've had gasoline showers in the 70's when we still pumped regular leaded. I've had diesel on me. Then the unleaded oxygenated gas of the late 80's that used to give me a headache. I knew that stuff was toxic then. I've worked on my own cars, mopeds and motorcycles. Done body work, used those toxic chemicals to remove paint from my 67 Mustang Fastback, so I've been exposed to more than most would. I've tested positive for benzene exposure which caused my dad's AML Leukemia that killed him at 69. I'll be that age in a little over 10 years.
Personally, I try to stay away from any kind of chemical now. I'm not sure if I'd chance using Vaseline on myself to add to what's already stored in my body from exposure.
I normally rep a comment but can't because I've handed out too much rep in the last 24 hours. Always appreciate your input.
I'm not big on using Vaseline, never was. I read years ago that it's a byproduct of petroleum. Do you have any thoughts about that? Do you think it's minor amounts that won't matter?
I pumped gas all of my life at my dad's gas and service station. I've had gasoline showers in the 70's when we still pumped regular leaded. I've had diesel on me. Then the unleaded oxygenated gas of the late 80's that used to give me a headache. I knew that stuff was toxic then. I've worked on my own cars, mopeds and motorcycles. Done body work, used those toxic chemicals to remove paint from my 67 Mustang Fastback, so I've been exposed to more than most would. I've tested positive for benzene exposure which caused my dad's AML Leukemia that killed him at 69. I'll be that age in a little over 10 years.
Personally, I try to stay away from any kind of chemical now. I'm not sure if I'd chance using Vaseline on myself to add to what's already stored in my body from exposure.
Vaseline is a brand name. The generic term for the stuff in the jar is petroleum jelly.
However, all of these products are also chemicals.
Sorry, all the roll-eyed horror over the highly-maligned term "chemical" is frustrating. Water is a chemical! Beeswax is a chemical! The most tree hugger-approved, naturally-sourced oil is in fact, a chemical!
How about warm, salted water for my hand soak to remove that bit of gauze? I recall reading years ago that people who swam in the ocean and had cuts and scrapes healed faster due to salt water.
However, all of these products are also chemicals.
Sorry, all the roll-eyed horror over the highly-maligned term "chemical" is frustrating. Water is a chemical! Beeswax is a chemical! The most tree hugger-approved, naturally-sourced oil is in fact, a chemical!
Thanks for the link, especially the 2nd one. It says pretty much the same thing as what I read years ago. If I ever need it, I know alternatives.
How about warm, salted water for my hand soak to remove that bit of gauze?
Yes
About 1/4 teaspoon to a quart of water should do it.
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