Bandage or no Bandage?
June 7, 2010 2:25 PM Subscribe
I've caught the mountain biking bug and was out riding this weekend. On one of the more advanced drops I took a bit of a scary tumble and ended up pretty scraped up. One section of my leg has the top layer of skin completely scraped off. What I'm wondering is the best (and fastest) way to help my scrapes heal with minimal scarring. Does anybody have any tips?
Basically I'm wondering do I keep neosporin and a bandaid (or gauze) on it all times or do I try to let it 'get air' and heal that way? I've heard both are good but I don't know which is the better method.
Basically I'm wondering do I keep neosporin and a bandaid (or gauze) on it all times or do I try to let it 'get air' and heal that way? I've heard both are good but I don't know which is the better method.
Fairchild pretty much matches my experience -- pretty substantial, not as a nurse, as a construction guy and mountain biker and stuff -- with cuts and scrapes. Keep it covered and keep it moist and it'll heal fastest and best and least painful.
Welcome to mountain biking, though -- this is a part of it, in my experience. (you should see the front of my shins, not scars exactly but pocks of all sorts, surface of the moon looking, from ripping hunks of skin out, mostly on the pedals as I'm either going down or preventing that from happening.)
posted by dancestoblue at 3:14 PM on June 7, 2010
Welcome to mountain biking, though -- this is a part of it, in my experience. (you should see the front of my shins, not scars exactly but pocks of all sorts, surface of the moon looking, from ripping hunks of skin out, mostly on the pedals as I'm either going down or preventing that from happening.)
posted by dancestoblue at 3:14 PM on June 7, 2010
Lots of cyclists swear by Tegaderm or a similar brand of bioclusive dressings. This site gives a pretty good summary of the saline and Tegaderm approach to letting road rash heal.
I've never had full grade road rash, but have scraped up my knees a few times. I found that regular gauze pads and bandages stuck to the wound and wouldn't let it heal, so if you must use gauze, make sure the box explicitly says it won't stick.
But the only way my last stubborn scrape healed was when I switched to Tegaderm. It's a little more costly than gauze, but it's amazing. It's an odd series of layers to deal with, so this video should help you see how to apply it.
posted by maudlin at 3:26 PM on June 7, 2010
I've never had full grade road rash, but have scraped up my knees a few times. I found that regular gauze pads and bandages stuck to the wound and wouldn't let it heal, so if you must use gauze, make sure the box explicitly says it won't stick.
But the only way my last stubborn scrape healed was when I switched to Tegaderm. It's a little more costly than gauze, but it's amazing. It's an odd series of layers to deal with, so this video should help you see how to apply it.
posted by maudlin at 3:26 PM on June 7, 2010
As a physician with personal experience with road rash I agree with nurse Fairchild's advice. The most important thing is to scrub all of the dirt and debris out of it in the first place. Scrub until you cry and then some. You should bleed a little. Rinse until you stop bleeding; if you don't stop bleeding seek professional advice. Then follow with the advice for daily care; for what it's worth the advice for caring for a new tattoo is much the same if you want to look that up. One additional bit of advice is that whenever you put antibiotic ointment on a wound, use the thinnest film possible; that allows oxygen to reach the wound and promote healing.
posted by TedW at 3:34 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by TedW at 3:34 PM on June 7, 2010
On posting I see that Tegaderm has a lot of fans. I use it daily; generally on vascular access lines that have been inserted under more or less sterile conditions. While it is good for keeping things moist and clean, if the area it is applied to is not clean and it is not changed every two or three days there are a lot of nasty infections that can result. Change dressings frequently and look at your wound for signs of infection. Unless you have other medical problems, you will probably be fine no matter what you do.
posted by TedW at 3:48 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by TedW at 3:48 PM on June 7, 2010
Vaseline to keep it moist. This worked wonders for my bad road rash off of a mcycle a few years ago. I have very little noticable scarring. I had to stay bandaged up with the petroleum jelly for quite a while, though.
On last week's newly found love for mountainbiking caused my leg to get chewed up by the sprocket injury I have used the tegaderm hydrocolloid thin stick on bandages. They keep the wound moist and are leave and forget for up to 7 days. They are translucent and get all gooey, so they look pretty gross, though... They are also expensive, but when I think back to how much bandages changes out a couple of times a day for a few weeks cost, I think it comes out even.
posted by ydant at 5:29 PM on June 7, 2010
On last week's newly found love for mountainbiking caused my leg to get chewed up by the sprocket injury I have used the tegaderm hydrocolloid thin stick on bandages. They keep the wound moist and are leave and forget for up to 7 days. They are translucent and get all gooey, so they look pretty gross, though... They are also expensive, but when I think back to how much bandages changes out a couple of times a day for a few weeks cost, I think it comes out even.
posted by ydant at 5:29 PM on June 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone for your comments and input. I have been covering it with a non-stick gauze and antibiotic ointment since shortly after I got home from the ride so I'll continue with that and hope for the best. For some reason I've always thought that scabbing was a good thing but I'm glad that both a nurse and physician have informed me otherwise!
posted by AngryLlama at 5:47 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by AngryLlama at 5:47 PM on June 7, 2010
From personal (extensive) experience w/ road rash, I find that a non-stick pad of some sort held in place with gauze or tape for the first day or so followed up w/ tegaderm, for the remainder of the healing time, works pretty well.
The first day or two the wound is going to drain fluids like crazy, and if you cover it with an occlusive, watertight bandage you'll end up with what looks like a big, nasty-looking, bubble of fluid trapped behind saran wrap. Gross.
Keep it covered and moistened w/ some sort of antibiotic ointment (Neosporin or similar. Personally, I dig Brave Soldier.) for the first day or so, while it drains. After that slap some tegaderm on there and forget it. You pretty much don't have to do anything else, unless it starts showing signs of infection.
As for changing the bandage, I just leave the tegaderm in place until it starts to come loose, or the wound looks healed. It even stays on in the shower. Great stuff.
posted by zen_spider at 10:00 AM on June 8, 2010
The first day or two the wound is going to drain fluids like crazy, and if you cover it with an occlusive, watertight bandage you'll end up with what looks like a big, nasty-looking, bubble of fluid trapped behind saran wrap. Gross.
Keep it covered and moistened w/ some sort of antibiotic ointment (Neosporin or similar. Personally, I dig Brave Soldier.) for the first day or so, while it drains. After that slap some tegaderm on there and forget it. You pretty much don't have to do anything else, unless it starts showing signs of infection.
As for changing the bandage, I just leave the tegaderm in place until it starts to come loose, or the wound looks healed. It even stays on in the shower. Great stuff.
posted by zen_spider at 10:00 AM on June 8, 2010
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Wash the scrape well under running water with soap. Keep ointment and bandage on at all times. Take the bandage off to shower. Reapply new bandage and ointment after bathing daily. Keep it covered until you see new skin (not scabbing) has formed. Keep it moist and covered so new skin can grow. Scabs actually delay healing.
Talk to your doctor if you see signs of infection (pus, warmth, increased redness...)
posted by Fairchild at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2010 [1 favorite]