Road Rash Treatment

[London Boy]

I have to confess the only reason I don't use a nail brush is that we no longer own one. So I use the absolute roughest facecloth I can find in the linen cupboard and go to town on it in the shower with the facecloth soaped up as much as possible. I still have a few dirt tattoos, though.

I find it doesn't hurt that much. The initial impact and slide along the cheesegrater is always worse. If you can survive thatwithout fainting, debriding the wound is a cakewalk. But you must do it as soon as possible afterwards.

I remember doing that with my face one time, after I was hit by a car. I was only nine at the time, but I still remember lying on a hospital bed while the man cleaned the grit out of the wound. I can also remember how many bad words a nine year old knows, when he's of a mind to use them...

[ValleyForge]

In hindsight, probably should have cut the ride short to seek medical assistance sooner rather than hours later after the ride.

How is it looking now?

[peter]

How is it looking now?

Thanks for asking. Much better now, thigh area is very much healed up, calf area is improving but may take another couple of weeks.

I leave the wounds open at home, cover them when I go to the office. I use "Jelonet" with "Melolin" on top, appears to be effective.

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/Buy/ ... e-Dressing
http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/Buy/ ... e-Dressing

May replace "Jenonet" with "Bactigras" as a precaution once the antibiotics rans out.

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/Buy/ ... x-10cm-x-1

[Abby]

Hi all,

Just reviving an old thread tos ee if there is any updated knowledge around gravel rash treatment. I came off during teh Tour de Brisbane and did apower-slide along the tarmac on my right side. Key issues being my right lower arm and lower leg - and my favourite jersey and knicks... *cries*

Anyway - my treatment so far has been:
- got home and scrubbed out the wounds with soap and a rough washer.
- covered wounds in Elastoplast wound cream (to keep moist and protect)
- over wound cream went Melolin dressing (the low adherent dressing with the 'plasticky' coating), held in place with Optifix or Hyperfix.
- removing everything, washing, and then replacing with same process every night.

So far so good. Main concern is obviously infection, but no weird colours, smells, disharge or anything so far, so hopefully I'm in the clear. Still some 'raw skin' there that hasn't healed over yet - so wondering if I should air out the wounds a little over the long weekend, given I don't have to wear long trousers for work for a few days...??

Thanks & cheers...

[ValleyForge]

"Drying out" isn't necessary at this stage; moist wounds heal fastest. You may find that some of the more mature parts don't need to be dressed any longer but the deeper parts with more healing are best left covered.

Best dressing is a hydrocolloid one, but they are not cheap - I'd suggest saving it for work as it can be left for 3 days between changes.

[Zippy7]

Might be a bit late for you, but I had gravel rash and was treated with Jelonet gauze - it healed very very quickly, the wound healed up before I knew it (a huge surprise to me). Next time I had gravel rash I thought it had vaseline/petroleum jelly (like Pawpaw ointment). Didn't heal anywhere near as fast.

I'd definitely look at Jelonet again if I had gravel rash.

(Suppose I'm also posting this for future reference)

[g-boaf]

Might be a bit late for you, but I had gravel rash and was treated with Jelonet gauze - it healed very very quickly, the wound healed up before I knew it (a huge surprise to me). Next time I had gravel rash I thought it had vaseline/petroleum jelly (like Pawpaw ointment). Didn't heal anywhere near as fast.

I'd definitely look at Jelonet again if I had gravel rash.

(Suppose I'm also posting this for future reference)

Yes, that stuff is decent. One brand also had non-stock pads that were medicated, might have been 3M nexcare. Those were also good.

I’m in your boat, but have a stitched up knee. It’s taking time to heal. It’s not infected - so they say, but the knee itself is swollen. It was cleaned pretty aggressively

[g-boaf]

My knee still isn’t healed up - the graze was sufficiently deep that it had to be stitched up. It isn’t bleeding or weeping any more and swelling seems to be going down.

No idea exactly how much longer it will take. I’ve never had stitches before.

[Liam4596]

I had a similar problem, not pleasant muck. Thanks to the doctor, my rash went away after a week, I was told that I had come to the hospital on time