Then it wasn't so bad.Except....
I was right...
I didn't need stitches....
Very close... Granted..... But no need.
No where close to losing half my blood supply...
And .... No I did not cut a nerve or tendon etc. Again... Rather close.... But no.
Good wound treatment...
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Nah no need...
I cleaned it very well with the isopropyl alcohol.
The Neosporin is very good at what it does.
True in a way.
50 minutes is a good while though to get it to finally stop.
If it had kept up for another 20+ minutes then I would have gone to get it further evaluated. It then would have very likely gotten stitches or glue.
My daughter had spine surgery that left a scar from the base of her neck to the top of her butt crack and I had bypass surgery. Neither of us had external stitches. The wounds were super glued. We both have thin straight line scars.
While completely refurbing a condo we bought as a second residence near the grandkids I sliced myself on a piece of NASTY heating and ducting sheet metal. The previous owners were chain smokers. Being driven and on a mission to keep working I stuffed a paper towel into some work gloves and kept on working. (I should've had work gloves on to begin with!) My RN wife pleaded with me to get stitches but she was 200 miles away and unable to force me. The next day, the day after, the day after that, etc., I kept working. In the picture you can actually see internal flesh where the skin is parted open. Amazingly it healed on its own and I only have a slight scar where I got sliced.
Enjoy.
Scott
View attachment 88417
Yeah... You did a number on that hand...
Main thing was it turned out ok.
I just had a very nice patient who had neck surgery... Glued as well. Turned out veey good.
That's amazing. I didn't know it was used to that extent.
Owen Lucas
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"After years of research, we now know that the caustic nature of hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol (another commonly used first aid antiseptic) can destroy healthy cells and therefore affect wound healing. If peroxide is used, it is definitely not recommended on a long-term basis.
The bactericidal effects of the hydrogen peroxide are great to clean the wound and kill bacteria initially, but this same benefit comes with a price in that the peroxide can damage skin cells and angiogenesis which is the process of new vessel formation. So for me, the benefits do not outweigh the risks. I see a lot of complex and chronic wounds and it is my job to not only determine the wound etiology but also deduct all aspects of what may be causing the wound to not improve, as well as manage everything that may delay wound healing."
Basically don't put anything in your wound that you won't put in your eye. Soap and water is sufficient most of the time.
My surgery was done about 6 years ago and hers was about 15. For small cuts and cold weather hand splits I use a product called New Skin Liquid Bandage to glue them closed and seal them.
Over the years I remember hearing about alcohol, mercurochrome (if you like your skin a nice shade of red), hydrogen peroxide, Bactine (an ammonium salt), etc.
However, I can't use any of the common topical antibiotics. Not even bacitracin alone. My wounds only get worse when I use it. I learned from a dermatologist that the best treatment is just plain petroleum jelly. The body is pretty good at fighting infection and the main thing with petroleum jelly is that it keeps the wound area moist and protects against other things getting in. Doesn't really have to be sterile either. It will reduce scarring by preventing scabs from forming. Maybe there are specific reasons for using an antibiotic or other antimicrobials under a doctor's care, but for most light wounds the best thing to do is to clean it and then apply petroleum jelly.
The first time I figure out that I was allergic to one particular antibiotic, a nurse practitioner prescribed a corticosteroid ointment. It had been inflamed for weeks and I couldn't figure out why since Polysporin was supposed to be free of neomycin. But after applying the corticosteroid, all the weeping was gone overnight because it tends to dry things out and the inflammation was gone. Within two days I had dead skin just completely peel off. I could see a mild scarring, but it was almost perfectly smooth.
However, I can't use any of the common topical antibiotics. Not even bacitracin alone. My wounds only get worse when I use it. I learned from a dermatologist that the best treatment is just plain petroleum jelly. The body is pretty good at fighting infection and the main thing with petroleum jelly is that it keeps the wound area moist and protects against other things getting in. Doesn't really have to be sterile either. It will reduce scarring by preventing scabs from forming. Maybe there are specific reasons for using an antibiotic or other antimicrobials under a doctor's care, but for most light wounds the best thing to do is to clean it and then apply petroleum jelly.
2. Help injured skin heal. For minor wounds such as cuts, scrapes, and scratches, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. This helps prevent the wound from drying out and forming a scab, as scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy. As long as the wound is cleaned daily, it is not necessary to use anti-bacterial ointments.
The first time I figure out that I was allergic to one particular antibiotic, a nurse practitioner prescribed a corticosteroid ointment. It had been inflamed for weeks and I couldn't figure out why since Polysporin was supposed to be free of neomycin. But after applying the corticosteroid, all the weeping was gone overnight because it tends to dry things out and the inflammation was gone. Within two days I had dead skin just completely peel off. I could see a mild scarring, but it was almost perfectly smooth.
Most of these things are topical and will actually kill exposed, live tissue cells. Even alcohol. It's really just best to wash and dry with a clean towel.
That Manuka medihoney adhesive pad does the same exact thing as the petroleum jelly...
More than one way to skin a cat.
Nothing wrong with the petroleum jelly.
And nothing wrong with Neosporin either as long as one does not have a allergy to it. We used that routinely at the high end retirement center I worked at.
And my finger has healed extremely well using what I used.
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As a 30 year tech, I don’t see the problem here….like, at all.
I'm sure there are probably things similar to petroleum jelly in how they work. But it's cheap, easy to find, and works remarkably well. The guy who first marketed Vaseline used to sell it by intentionally cutting himself and demonstrating that the covered wounds healed well with petroleum jelly.
I think of of the issues is that a lot of people instantly believe that germs (especially bacteria) are bad and that there's a high risk of infection with cuts. However, I'd say that contact dermatitis is much worse. Also that topical antibiotics really don't help improve outcomes.
BACKGROUND:
This prospective observational study aimed to determine the infection rate of simple hand laceration (SHL), and to compare infection rates between patients who were prescribed antibiotics and those who were not.
*******
CONCLUSION:
Approximately 5% of simple hand lacerations become infected. Age, gender, diabetes, prophylactic antibiotics and closure technique do not affect the risk of infection.
I can understand that. And even agree with the whole, "it kills the good cells as well", argument. But so what? So does chemo and radiation cancer treatment. But it also prevents the bad cells from growth explosion... Or in the case of topical antiseptics like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, kill bacteria that gets into wounds.
And no one is going to take daily baths in the stuff for hours. They're going to apply it, allow it to disinfect, then cover and bandage the wound, and be on their merry way. I did this hundreds of times in the course of my working career. And never had any ill effects..... And not one single infection.... Ever.
I think people are becoming too paranoid, too easily today. At present is there ANY product in existence, that the state of California doesn't believe causes cancer?
That's an observational study which is far from a "gold" standard study.
No randomized control group...I have big, big questions and reservations regarding observational studies.
I'm still right......
Medihoney does the same thing as that other petroleum jelly....
More than one way to get there....
It someone wants to use either.... That is certainly ok to do.
We did utilize a Petrolatum dressing for wound care at the place I used to work at. That dressing was cloth type material with petroleum jelly all of that cloth material.
The following is in regards to other types of infection... Respiratory, post operative wounds, urinary infections, other serious wound infections...
I have seen and had to treat many people with infection... And have had a good number of people die from septicemia.
It happens more than people dare to think or realize.
The "sentinel" event that happened at my former hospital I was involved with was a horrible circumstance. A man coded aka died needlessly on the OR table because certain things did not happen. And it was a simple back surgery to begin with.... He came back in with a severe and obvious infected post op wound. I asked for wound cultures with gram stain, blood cultures in aerobic and anaerobic bottles, a hospitalist consult, and possibly a prophylactic antibiotic... Got no on everything.
A simple hand injury is not all that likely to get infected. I agree.
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