Roadrash: Gooey or Scab-Y???
John Roden
After a week or so, what is the consensus on roadrash? I can keep it
moist and gooey with some neosporin or let it form a scab. The problem
with the former is the goopy mess, the crap draining out on my leg and
the tendency for the thing to get bumped and start bleeding, while the
problem with the later is the scab cracks and rips off, causing the
process to begin anew. I have both small/deep and large superficial RR,
so I can conduct an experiment using a control group.
I have heard both opinions on healing, so i'm wondering what the
hotshots do.
Thanks in advance
John Roden, with roadrash on right knee and derailer
John Roden
Thanks to all for the tips. I got this 3m stuff that looks like saran
wrap, but costs a lot. My knee looks like a terriaum full of goo. What
is that net stuff that the hot shoes wear when racing? I have trouble
keeping the dressing on my knee.
Office 2103
If the roadrash isn't too deep, Tegaderm by 3M works really good.
For the deeper abraisions use Duoderm.
Eckerd Drugs and Drug Emporium.
bub...@ix.netcom.com
John Roden wrote:
>
(a not so surgical snip)
> I have heard both opinions on healing, so i'm wondering what the
> hotshots do.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> John Roden, with roadrash on right knee and derailer
John,
I'm not a hotshot but some of the guys I ride with think they are. I
hope that counts.:) My experience is to keep it moist and covered
w/Telfa pad and gauze. It reduces the chances of infection. If it
sticks, go ahead and take that extra bath this year and let it soak.:)
It will come off. And from experience, knocking the soft stuff off is a
lot less painful than knocking off a scab.
As far as your derailleur goes, I would suggest butter. Hey, it works
on chains!:)
William A. Geoghegan
I will second the opinion on TegaDerm. I just got some pretty good road
rash on my lower leg and hip last week, and have been using TegaDerm with
great success. TegaDerm is good because is doesn't allow a scab to form
and you can also leave it on for several days, even if you are riding. I
don't know how effective it would be if you have already started scabbing
up, but it probably couldn't hurt to try it.
Office 2103 <gt4...@prism.gatech.edu> wrote in article
<33AEF0...@prism.gatech.edu>...
> John Roden wrote:
> >
> > After a week or so, what is the consensus on roadrash? I can keep it
> > moist and gooey with some neosporin or let it form a scab. The problem
> > with the former is the goopy mess, the crap draining out on my leg and
> > the tendency for the thing to get bumped and start bleeding, while the
> > problem with the later is the scab cracks and rips off, causing the
> > process to begin anew. I have both small/deep and large superficial
RR,
> > so I can conduct an experiment using a control group.
> >
> > I have heard both opinions on healing, so i'm wondering what the
> > hotshots do.
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> >
> > John Roden, with roadrash on right knee and derailer
>
Stephen Haydel
Maybe same thing...But
DuoDerm works great!!!
Gene Bowen
John Roden wrote:
>
> After a week or so, what is the consensus on roadrash? I can keep it
> moist and gooey with some neosporin or let it form a scab.
Gooey.
Gene Bowen
Mike & Joanna Brown
I am a physical therapist and specialize in wound care and for superficial
or deep wounds both tegaderm and duoderm are extremely poor choices for
this type of wound. The best and cheaper route is to use Spenco's 2nd Skin
Nonstick Moist Burn Pads. You can get them at any drug store. These will
absord moderate amounts of drainage, are painless to take off and feel very
soothing to put on the wound. The ultimate choice is Elasto-Gel Hydrogel
Wound Dressings from Southwest Technologies, Inc. If you would like to
order some of these gel pads call 1-800-247-9951. They are the most
absorbant hydrogel dressings on the market today.
Tegaderm and Duoderm both are very adhesive and stick to the wound bed and
hurt like hell when removed, especially when pealing them off from around
the wound edges. They absorb very little drainage and have a tendency to
roll up at the edges when clothes rub on them.
Get the Spenco's or go the extra mile and call Southwest Technologies. I
carry six of the 4x4's and six 2x3 gel pads with me to all my races. My
teammates and others love me when they wreck and we clean the wound and put
these babies on them.
Mike
Office 2103 <gt4...@prism.gatech.edu> wrote in article
<33AEF0...@prism.gatech.edu>...
> John Roden wrote:
> >
> > After a week or so, what is the consensus on roadrash? I can keep it
Mike Murray
I differ in opinion on this. I have found the Spenco product to be less
useful, although it is more available since it is marketed to the general
public rather than just to medical care providers. In my experience it is
generally more expensive, but then that depends on who you buy from. I
have not used the Elasto-Gel product, although I have used similar gel
products. They are very soothing, but then so are the semi-permeables
after they are on the wound for a period of time. The key is keeping the
wound moist. They are also more expensive.
Although Tegaderm and Duoderm (and other semi-permeables, there are many)
are adhesive, they DO NOT stick to the wound bed, only the surrounding
skin. This is a good thing as it allows you to keep the dressing on and
not have to use any dressing retainers. If they are applied with tincture
of benzoin or Mastisol they will not peel at the edges as readily but will
, of course, be more difficult to remove. Taking them off is only as
uncomfortable as removing tape from the skin. I haven't found that to be a
big deal. Duoderm absorbs the drainage from the wound but with an abrasion
it will fill quickly and need to be changed. That's why it works well for
dry wounds like bedsores or chronic leg ulcers. A semi-permeable film
dressing like Tegaderm won't absorb ANY drainage and will collect a big
bubble of fluid which will eventually rupture and pour foul smelling fluid
on your clothing (I hope no one was eating;-). That's why I usually apply
it with a line of ointment to provide a drain and then cover that with some
gauze to catch the material that comes out of the wound.
Mike & Joanna Brown <mjbr...@airmail.net> wrote in article
<5EDF04A7ACE45C32.DA375599...@library-proxy.airnews.ne
t>...
Mike Murray
This seemed like a good thread to re-post something I posted some time ago:
I prefer using one of the semi-permeable dressing that are commonly used as
dressing for IV sites. They look like clear tape. My favorite is 3M's
Tegaderm, since it applies easily. After cleaning the wound with regular
soap saline solution and a sponge/brush I dry the area around the wound,
paint the area around the wound with tincture of benzoin or Mastisol to
make
the Tegaderm stick better. I then use a Q-tip with some Vaseline or other
greasy stuff to draw a line from the center of the wound to the most
dependent part. I then stick the Tegaderm over the wound. This will
create a small drain through the area where the greasy stuff was that will
drain the fluid that will run out of the wound. I put a gauze pad over the
exit of this drain to catch that stuff so clothing isn't soiled. I like to
use the fishnet type dressing retainers so you avoid using any tape or
adhesive. Coban wrap is also very useful for around joints. This type of
dressing can then be left in place and you can exercise and shower with it
on for up to a week without needing to change the dressing. Pain is
greatly decrease shortly after applying the dressing. You can see through
the dressing to watch for signs of infection. If you keep the wound from
forming a scab it will heal quicker and with less scarring and this
dressing works well to do this.
There are other "high tech" type dressings on the market, such as Duoderm
which absorb the fluid from the wound, but in my experience for road rash
they are too expensive and messy.
Alternatively you can use a more conventional type dressing. It maybe a
bit cheaper if you make your own but it will require more care and it is
more uncomfortable.. The important thing is that the material against the
wound must have a small enough "pore" size to incorporate the fluid from
the wound so it is removed with the dressing daily. Regular gauze has a
weave that is too big to do this. You can use products such as Vaseline
gauze or Xeroform, but the cost can get pretty high to change this daily.
I often recommend that riders just take an old bedsheet, or similar type
fabric, coat it with Vaseline or A&D ointment and then cover the wound with
a single layer of that and then putt regular gauze on top of this to absorb
drainage. This dressing must be changed daily or if it gets wet.
This is what I have arrived at from 20+ years of bike racing (i.e. many
personal injuries), 15 years of practicing emergency medicine and arranging
first aid coverage for bike races through the Oregon Bicycle Racing
Association. I would be interested in hearing others opinions.
Mike Murray, MD
John Roden <ro...@frontiernet.net> wrote in article
<5om0u6$peq$1...@node17.cwnet.frontiernet.net>...
bacon
John Roden wrote:
>
> After a week or so, what is the consensus on roadrash? I can keep it
> moist and gooey with some neosporin or let it form a scab. The problem
> with the former is the goopy mess, the crap draining out on my leg and
> the tendency for the thing to get bumped and start bleeding, while the
> problem with the later is the scab cracks and rips off, causing the
> process to begin anew. I have both small/deep and large superficial RR,
> so I can conduct an experiment using a control group.
>
> I have heard both opinions on healing, so i'm wondering what the
> hotshots do.
>
> Thanks in advance
When I get home I clean it up with water and spray Solarcaine on it.
That's it, no dressings. I've tried the gooey method and it seems to
take a lot longer to heal. I'm not really a "hot shot" but after 40
years of bikes, motocross, skateboards, and frequent acts of sheer
stupidity, I've had a great deal of road rash experience.
Bacon
(I'm working on creating a habitat that excludes all life and any
possibility of life in the future. Please help by sending me as much
money as possible.)
Marc Langille
The 3M stuff is, by the sounds of your description, "Second Skin".
The net stuff is an expandable gauze netting; one brand is known as
"Surgifix", and is excellent for keeping dressings on the arms and legs.
It comes in the form of a boxed roll(in the shape of a tube) that you cut
to length for your needs. Keep an eye for the sizing on the box...various
diameters are made for the body parts.
Hope this helps,
Marc Langille
Registered Nurse
ex Cat II