Wound Care Question - Not sure how to/if to bandage
My thighs, with the exceptions of the undersides, are covered in cuts. Three of them are deep and required bandaging, but at the moment there are a lot of fresh but shallow scratches. I keep it very clean, but it aches almost. They're scratches that I don't think would require bandaging on their own, but with one every inch or so, should I just treat it like one giant scrape and keep my leg wrapped up...? I don't even know how to make a proper bandage for this large an area. Should I just keep cleaning it and using bactine, neosporin, etc., without bandages...? Or...
You should bandage up the whole area treating it as one big wound. Even the small scratches would be best off being covered with a nonstick pad, and then a bandage such as ACEwrap over the top. When it has been applied to ensure they can easily fit two fingers between a bandage on your skin. And if your toes start to become numb, cold or blueish then you need to remove the bandage ASAP as it's a sign that it's too tight. It is difficult to keep bandages in that position so you may find that at the top & bottom of it you need to stick it in place with medical tape or Elastoplast. You may also find that just using wound dressings held in place by medical tape may be easier.
If the larger ones are gaping and were done within the last 24 hours it may be worthwhile closing them with butterfly strips or Steri-strips
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I couldn't get those three to close, but that was a while ago and I just kept them really clean. They're scabbing up a bit odd, but it's similar to how my tattoo scabbed, just... A lot less dry and cracky than normal ones and they don't hurt. Just look ick. Too late to close them, but I think they're cool.
I can't find any medical tape that sticks to me, though. I'll stop by the store; I'm out of gauze. Is there any tape that actually sticks when you want it to?
you could stick wound pads together with tape to make one big dressing and hold it in place with a tubigrip bandage but you may have to look for a bigger size as it is for your thigh. mand x
Mand, South Wales, Full-time working, single mother to 2 scarily independent girls.
I AM A PROUD PLUMERIA SISTER
I can't afford any of this stuff unless that tubigrip stuff is reusable so long as it doesn't come in contact with the wound itself. Is it? If not I'm going to have to bum off of several friends. ><
Yes, Tubigrip is totally re-usable and it shouldn't be used in contact with a wound anyway. I have used tubigrip for weeks on end on some of my joints when I've injured them at work and it's been fine/
The only thing with Tubigrip is that you have to ensure that it isn't too tight, especially on your thigh, and you also have to take it off at night.
As said above, an adhesive pad would be fine and you can join these together by cutting off the sticky end of one and putting the other over it so that they are stuck together and the gauze pads are next to each other.
If you live in the UK, Superdrug sell "Clear Tape" in their First Aid section and that is really good. Then there is Micropore/ Microporous tape though that isn't always the stickiest. I son't know how sticky Zinc Oxide tape is, I've never used it before but it may be worth a try; you can buy that in most pharmacies.
Are you from the UK? It's only in the UK; I've just checked and there are stores in England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland (don't know about the Islands too) but they are found in a lot of shopping centres and town centres. You could also ask at a pharmacy and see if they have any; they may have some but it may be under a different name. It is literally a tape which is clear but breathable and is easily tear-able but very sticky (the one thing that annoyed me about it though is it does leave the black sticky lines on your skin when you take it off but I've found it is the best thing to stay in place and is fine to use for wound care; that is what it is designed for and it is also used in hospitals).
to an FAA - what's that stuff that you use to prep your skin for steri strips? someone mentioned it in another thead recently. would that help make it more sticky? also i think you can buy large dressing pads/gauze like folded up in a sterile packet. mand x
Mand, South Wales, Full-time working, single mother to 2 scarily independent girls.
I AM A PROUD PLUMERIA SISTER
My thighs, with the exceptions of the undersides, are covered in cuts. Three of them are deep and required bandaging, but at the moment there are a lot of fresh but shallow scratches. I keep it very clean, but it aches almost. They're scratches that I don't think would require bandaging on their own, but with one every inch or so, should I just treat it like one giant scrape and keep my leg wrapped up...? I don't even know how to make a proper bandage for this large an area. Should I just keep cleaning it and using bactine, neosporin, etc., without bandages...? Or...
My name is helen,Nice to meet you!Are your cut is very serious?Maybe you can try some chinese non-adhesive patches or bandage,I think your current bandage is not non-adhesive patches,it will hurt your cut when you're replace them,i wish you will be recovered soon!
Last edited by Bitter_Angel : 28-07-2009 at 04:33 PM.
Reason: Removing email address. only offical first aid advisors are allowed to be contacted via email
My name is helen,Nice to meet you!Are your cut is very serious?Maybe you can try some chinese non-adhesive patches or bandage,I think your current bandage is not non-adhesive patches,it will hurt your cut when you're replace them,] wish you will be recovered soon!
Thank you, Helen. They're all just relatively deep scratches. Only three are cut cuts. It's just the amount of them that's making it a problem. I'll try that. The trouble's just affording, and finding out how to make it all stick. Real pain in the butt.
Last edited by Bitter_Angel : 28-07-2009 at 04:34 PM.
Reason: Removing reference to a deleted post
I used to cut in the area u are describing and I used Gauze pads and tape... At walmart they have some tape that is really good and sticky its by nexcare...
