A question! [treatment of burns]
Mar. 20th, 2011 10:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
desperanceYou know how sometimes when people post about their ailments, they stress that they are not looking for advice? Well, not me. I think I need it.
It's quite ironic, I guess, that I have just written almost an entire novel about burns treatment, and still don't know what to do; but there is a mighty leap from fiction to the other thing, and I am not a doctor. However efficiently I pretend.
So. I burned myself on Tuesday night: which, taking a transatlantic timeshift into account, is something more than four days ago. To be precise, I fried my finger in hot oil. (I was frying cheesy sandwiches at the time, and was a little careless in laying them into the pan. I may have been talking to someone at the time. Also possibly drinking.)
Anyway. Ouchie, and much cold water run across it, and a big blister overnight. Which burst in the shower in the morning. So I slathered it with neosporin (as my fingers are very prone to infection from the most minor wounds) and put a plaster on it for protection against knocks and general public decency. Which I have replaced as needed, except that since yesterday I've been leaving the plaster off to let the air at it.
Point being, the wound site (the size of a small coin) is still raw and weepy and sore, and I don't know what path I should pursue now. Let it dry in air, or plaster it up again? Or seek other treatments from a pharmacy? Or what? I should prefer it if my finger didn't fall off, really. By and large.
It's quite ironic, I guess, that I have just written almost an entire novel about burns treatment, and still don't know what to do; but there is a mighty leap from fiction to the other thing, and I am not a doctor. However efficiently I pretend.
So. I burned myself on Tuesday night: which, taking a transatlantic timeshift into account, is something more than four days ago. To be precise, I fried my finger in hot oil. (I was frying cheesy sandwiches at the time, and was a little careless in laying them into the pan. I may have been talking to someone at the time. Also possibly drinking.)
Anyway. Ouchie, and much cold water run across it, and a big blister overnight. Which burst in the shower in the morning. So I slathered it with neosporin (as my fingers are very prone to infection from the most minor wounds) and put a plaster on it for protection against knocks and general public decency. Which I have replaced as needed, except that since yesterday I've been leaving the plaster off to let the air at it.
Point being, the wound site (the size of a small coin) is still raw and weepy and sore, and I don't know what path I should pursue now. Let it dry in air, or plaster it up again? Or seek other treatments from a pharmacy? Or what? I should prefer it if my finger didn't fall off, really. By and large.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-03-20 11:25 pm (UTC)They don't recommend airing out for wounds any longer. Moist healing goes faster, reduces risk of secondary infection, and creates less scar tissue. Antibiotic ointment slows down healing, so don't reapply unless you let the wound get dirty again. Keep it bandaged. Watch for signs of infection. If you think it's infected, see a doctor; otherwise, just let it heal.