ok, so I cut myself over 2 months ago.. not too long but kinda deep, barely to the fat. its on my upper arm, almost to shoulder. anyway, its still not closed.. I've gone to the fat before and they usually were closed by now, its still open about 10mm round and has some of the purpley scar forming on the edges, but it doesnt seem to be improving for the past 2-3 weeks. I've been putting abit of neasporin on a bandaid to cover it, and then toilet paper folded up and taped ontop cause it was still leaking on my clothes from around the bandage. What can I do to get it to close faster? my arm is getting raw and blistered from the tape and the bandaid bein there so long.
-brian
'in the quiet heart is hidden, sorrow that the eye can't see'
Ouch, that sounds quite nasty. It's almost certainly got infected by this point, so I think your best bet would be asking your GP to have a look at it and see what they advise. Short of that, the best way to encourage wounds to close is to use steristrips-but it might be too late for that to do any good. I really would advise talking to your doctor.
it was infected earlier and I was cleaning it with peroxide and it was still gettin nasty, stinking and pus and such. but when I started putting alot of neasporin on it, the infection went away, its not warm, no puss, no redness around the wound anymore.. it just doesnt want to close. I've heard steri strips and stitches only work if they are put on the first 24 hours. my skin flakes off too easily for steri-strips or butterflies.. the sticky part just dont have enough surface area to work on me for some reason and they end up peeling off instead of holding it shut.
in the past I've tried letting them dry out and scab up and sometimes that works, but for this one it scabs for abit and then tears and re opens and gets on clothes and such
if it was gettin infected and I couldnt get it under control I'd go see a dr, but my insurance hates me and is saying that I wasnt covered 3 years ago (when I was eligible and they said I was back then) so they were asking my gp to pay them back for the money the insurance payed them back then.. and so I cant go there until this crap is all cleaned up. the american healthcare system is jacked up basically.
blah
'in the quiet heart is hidden, sorrow that the eye can't see'
You can actually have stitches after that time apparently but I dont think they like to do it. I know i've been offered it before. Sorry this was pointless, but worst comes to worst they may stitch it for you.
I think that at this point seeing a doctor is by far the best option for you. If it's already been infected there could be some damage to the tissue and that is why it's not healing properly. Also, peroxide is VERY VERY bad to use in wounds, it kills the good cells also and cause cause healing problems. So it toliet paper, as the tissue gets stuck in the wound.
Until you get to a doctor, keep the wound covered at all times execpt when you shower. Use neosporin on it, with gauze over that, and an ace wrap to keep the whole thing on and protected from your clothing. You should see a doctor as soon as possible.
AD
First Aid Advisor
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
but like what would the dr do? some perscription ointment that might stimulate healing or something? I dont wanna go in and have all the embarassment and anxiety and crap just to have him say Im an idiot for not getting stitches 3 months ago and then say that theres nothing that he can really do for me.
and I read that peroxide is bad for it, thats why I dont use it now that the infection is gone, it hasnt had peroxide for at least 3 weeks.
-brian
'in the quiet heart is hidden, sorrow that the eye can't see'
The doctor should be able to look at it and determine WHY it's not healing. That is what concerns me here. Even something that has been opened up several times should have healed after a couple of months .
AD
First Aid Advisor
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
i've used steri strips a week later - i know that's much less than your time scale but still. what you could do it use steri strips to encourage closure and tape the ends down with micropore tape so that they dont peel off - this works for me. obviously the doctor is the best option but i appreciate that in america healthcare is not as simple. ((hugs))
xxx
I have to giggle a bit, because I've been thinking from the sounds of things, and all the stuff people deal with over there, that American health care was simpler! lol
AD
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
I know it's already been said but I really do suggest going to your GP.
Sounds to me like he'll most likely just get nurses to dress it and keep dressing it till it heals.Until you can get to your gp I suggest poping down to your local chemist and getting yourself a bandage and non stick dressing. Instead of using micropore tape which is obviously irritating your skin wrap the dressing on with the banadage and then use the micorpause tape on the bandage to close the loose end. I have really sensitive skin so I generally have to use banadages instead.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
take care
beth xxxxx
'in the quiet heart is hidden, sorrow that the eye can't see'
but when I started putting alot of neasporin on it, the infection went away, its not warm, no puss, no redness around the wound anymore.. it just doesnt want to close. I've heard steri strips and stitches only work if they are put on the first 24 hours. my skin flakes off too easily for steri-strips or butterflies.. the sticky part just dont have enough surface area to work on me for some reason and they end up peeling off instead of holding it shut.
