What is the best Treatment for scrapes?

[Integral]

This last weekend I manged to get a pretty nasty scrape (area ~ 4cm diameter) on my shin. Now, 4 days later, it is getting better, (I missed some work due to this Sunday) but it still needs some help. I have been treating it with Bactine and Neosporin. What do you use or recommend for treatment of this type of injury. Is Iodine better then Neosporine? Covered? Uncovered?

So far, since I have not had anything big enough to cover it I have left it open. I will be going out soon to find some bandaids big enough to cover it.

Opinions welcome.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I usually cover things like that (with gauze taped on and liberal use of an antibiotic cream) during the day, but uncover them, wash them, and let them dry out at night. The main reason I'd cover them during the day is just because there's more chance of getting stuff into them.

 

[Integral]

That is roughly what I have had in mind. I was just wondering if the modern products (anitbiotic ointments etc.) are better then the old standbys Mertholate or Iodine? It has also been recommed to soak it in Epsom salts. What is this?

 

[arildno]

Thorough cleansing with iodine ought to be more than sufficient (after all, isn't that what surgeons use prior to making an incision?)

But my, does it hurt..

 

[Moonbear]

A mixture of iodine solution and 3% hydrogen peroxide (standard stuff on the pharmacy shelf) is good for an initial cleansing; peroxide alone is good too, as is plain old soap and water if nothing else is available. The triple antibiotic to prevent infection is good (they're all the same, whether you buy generic store brand stuff or name brands), and generally, while it's still open, I'd keep it covered with a square of sterile gauze taped on if it's too big for a band-aid. Once it has scabbed over, nothing more needs to be done unless you notice signs of infection, such as pus or a widening patch of redness radiating out from the area. The scab provides all the protection necessary at that point.

 

[zoobyshoe]

It has also been recommed to soak it in Epsom salts. What is this?

First time I've heard that reccomended for a wound. That's supposed to be a soak for tired, sore feet. I have no idea if it works any better than soaking them in hot water by itself, but all the old people in my family used to do it.

 

[FredGarvin]

Neosporin+Pain is great stuff. I use it all the time.

http://www.neosporin.com/images/neosporin_products/Neo_plus_combined.gif

 

[Integral]

Neosporin+Pain is great stuff. I use it all the time.

http://www.neosporin.com/images/neosporin_products/Neo_plus_combined.gif

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That is exactly what I have been using.

 

[arildno]

A mixture of iodine solution and 3% hydrogen peroxide (standard stuff on the pharmacy shelf) is good for an initial cleansing; peroxide alone is good too, as is plain old soap and water if nothing else is available. The triple antibiotic to prevent infection is good (they're all the same, whether you buy generic store brand stuff or name brands), and generally, while it's still open, I'd keep it covered with a square of sterile gauze taped on if it's too big for a band-aid. Once it has scabbed over, nothing more needs to be done unless you notice signs of infection, such as pus or a widening patch of redness radiating out from the area. The scab provides all the protection necessary at that point.

Just a note:
In an unfortunate encounter with an apple tree last summer, I got a rather nasty wound (I had to sew 20 stitches or so).
Pus as such is not necessarily a sign of infection for such big wounds; after all, most of the pus is white blood cells.
At least, my wound leaked some in the ensuing days, but my doctor said that was normal considering the damage, and what I had to be wary about was spreading redness and swollenness.
That didn't come about, and I healed fine.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Apple trees are a menace, and I think they all belong to gangs.

 

[arildno]

Apple trees are a menace, and I think they all belong to gangs.

It had been grumpy all its life, and all it ever produced was sour, inedible fruits.
When we decided to cut it down, it whumped me.

 

[scott1]

I got a a big scarpe on my elbow from bicycle inccedent.What I did was wash my elbow and put bandage on it and waited for it to heal.
Shouldn't this be on the biology fourm?

 

[zoobyshoe]

It had been grumpy all its life, and all it ever produced was sour, inedible fruits.
When we decided to cut it down, it whumped me.

I was totally kidding anyway. I love apple trees. Even sour ones. I'm glad it tried to defend itself.

 

[jimmy p]

What about crab apples? They are rank.

When I get scrapes and cuts I usually just apply Savlon and whack a plaster on, then let it air in the evening.

Years ago, 3 days or so before one of my aunty's weddings, I was running down a gravel road on a hill and fell over. And rolled, and rolled and rolled. I ended up covered in bumps and bruises, had a black eye and a mouthful of leaves. My nana put vaseline on the bruises and the black eye, and reapplyed when necessary, and by the time the wedding came about, there were no marks. Nana swears by vaseline.

 

[arildno]

It wasn't nice getting whumped.

 

[Integral]

I have had lots of scrapes and scratches in my life. This one did not seem particularly bad, it never bled a drop.

I recall taking a fall in the middle of a lava field, miles from a road, it left a nasty, bleeding, gash near my knee. I hiked out the next day without a blink, it left a scar I still carry but it never got inflamed the way this did Sunday night. Perhaps it is the difference 40yrs makes in your circulation system.

Yeah, I was thinking this might belong in Biology, but then we wouldn't be able to explore the nuances of the open discussion. (I hear the mod over there is pretty tough!)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Wow, you really did tag it didn't you. It looked pretty bad.

Neosporin is the cure all around here.

There used to be a Solarcaine product good for scrapes and burns. It numbs the area pretty well, but who knows if you would find it around here in Feb.

 

[DocToxyn]

It might be a little too late for this treatment, but in the future you might consider some of the "second skin" products, like Tegaderm (from 3M), that seal the wound site and keep it moist for the duration of the healing. Cyclists use this for road rash which can cover large areas of the body and be quite painful. By keeping it moist and avoiding a scab, you don't get the cracking and pain that comes with flexing that area during the healing and I think scarring is reduced as well. Check out http://arniebakercycling.com/pubs/Free/Road%20Rash%20ABC.pdf" for more info. Good healing to you.

 

[Integral]

Hey, thanks for all of the input. I bought some big band aids which cover the worst of the scrape. I applied Neosporin generously and have covered it. I'll see how the night goes. It has already improved a lot from the angry red of Sunday night.

This really comes close to a very minor case of road rash as covered in Dox Toxyns link. That is good stuff, thanks Doc!, It confirms what my experience has taught me.

 

[tribdog]

Scrapes hurt, but they do have one advantage over other types of injuries. You get to pick a really big scab. I know it's gross, but oh it hurts so good to pick that scab.