Anyone know anything about wound/burn healing?

TheSuzie · #1 09-18-2009, 11:00 PM

To make a long and complicated story short. My hands have been damaged and I am still missing skin as in a full depth wound on my left index finger. The area is approximately an oval about 1.5" by 1.5" that has no skin. This area goes across the side and back of the middle joint.

My right hand was not as large an area and has healed. The right has regained full range of motion though the scar on my right index finger is troublesome and may cause me problems playing if I can ever try to play again.

Right now it has been 4-5 days since a major cleanup on the left. I am in a real lot of pain and not seeing any signs of healing yet. I am worried that this won't heal or will scar so badly that it will be a big problem. As it is I have had limited usage of my left and and especially that finger for more than a couple of years so I don't know if i will regain range of motion.

I have been keeping the area slathered in an antibiotic cream and covered with a non-stick bandage. The doctor wanted me to use a non-antibiotic cream but I am seriously allergic to both of the ones he gave me to try. Don't know if anyone has any experience in this area but everyone around tells me that talkbass is the absolute best place to go for important medical advice.

Thanks,
S

Auzzie-Phoenix · #2 09-19-2009, 12:00 AM

Keep it disinfected, cleaned, and change bandages frequently. Allow it to get air and sun every few days at minimum. Wounds like what you described take more than 4-5 days... try about 2 weeks on average as a minimum.

Keep moving your hands. Unless your doctor advises against doing so, letting them sit idle will be more detrimental in the long run.

LCW · #3 09-19-2009, 12:42 AM

Aloe Vera

TheSuzie · #4 09-19-2009, 01:17 AM

Aloe is a good idea but I am allergic to it.

I am actually expecting that this may take months to heal decently and a good year to really settle down (hope it goes faster). Hopefully it will start to skin over during the course of a few weeks but I'm afraid it won't. I guess it will have to heal in from the sides because all the layers of the skin are gone. Small amounts of sun and air did seem to help the other hand but it was not nearly as bad and I think there was still some skin left on that one. Guess I will air this one our a bit tomorrow.

The doctor's reaction when he saw things this time really worried me. He was not happy with what he saw.

Thanks Again,
S

thumpbass1 · #5 09-19-2009, 07:40 AM

Follow your doctor's advice and work with them on what medications you are using, and course of therapy as well. It sounds like you have injuries that are going to need some serious time to recover from. It's none of my business, but can you share about what exactly happened to you?

tplyons · #6 09-19-2009, 03:11 PM

Depending on how bad it is, it could take 3-4 weeks to heal.

Burns and wounds similar are the worst since skin needs to regenerate in several layers, while remaining sterile and moist, but not damp and prone to mold. An extra hour of sleep does wonders as well as your body is using a lot of energy to heal, and make sure you take care of the rest of your body while you heal.

Being healthy all around generally speeds up healing wounds.