I have burned my bum on a heated towel rail........

[catseverywhere]

... which I don't personally find very funny but it is clear that EVERYONE else that I mention it to does, which I think is rude :D

Ok, what happened was, I got out of the bath on Saturday morning and was just towelling my hair dry when I felt a horrible pain and realised I'd leaned back against the towel rail and bugger me, it hurt, so much I cried real tears.

Within minutes, the area had gone bobbly, and I made the mistake of running my finger over it which took the skin off. It looked really clean, though, and I just got dressed and got on with it, albeit extremely gingerly and with many rude words. Next day it was looking ok, a bit green but I took that to be just how manky burned things look. By Monday (yesterday) it was looking much better, but I had a meeting which went on and on, and by the end I was desperate for a wee. I went to the loo, pulled down my clothes possibly too quickly and there was a feeling like Velcro had been torn from my bum. I put loo roll on it, and there was blood, so I think I'd taken the top off the healing wound.

So now I don't know what to do. I've worn a dressing today, which I've removed since I got home and there is quite a lot more green gunk and blood. I can't keep it uncovered because I have to go to work and I suspect that below-the-waist nakedness would be disapproved of in the workplace, but equally I think it needs to dry out.

Anyway - I asked at the surgery today if someone could assess my manky bum, but strangely no one was available. I have to ring tomorrow morning and get a nurse appointment (they can only be assigned on the day), but I wondered whether anyone here in the meantime could tell me whether I need to keep this covered or open?

[NameAgeLocation]

Ouch! I don't know the answer but I wanted to offer some tea and sympathy. It sounds awful, you poor thing.

[Notthinkingclearly]

I would be tempted to sit in a bath with salt water to prevent infection, but someone may tell you different. You can buy OTC ointment for burns. Maybe worth a try. Keep the area dry and clean with regular dressing changes. Good luck tomorrow.

[MatildaTheCat]

Oh Lordy, cannot really advise other than my initial reaction which is to go to the pharmacy for a special dressing. I burned my bottom last year when a hot water bottle burst when I was lying on it (sciatica). Yes, it hurts.

Best of luck.

[catseverywhere]

Thank you, all :)

I saw the nurse today - no appointments available yesterday. She took one look and said it made her toes curl to look at it - there was another nurse the other side of the curtain who said 'she doesn't often say that', so the first nurse called the second nurse in, and they both stood there staring at my arse and going 'ewwww'.

Then the first nurse got what she called burns dressings, put one on ever so gently, gave me more dressings and told me to keep it dry and come back on Monday. I think something positive might be happening because the pain is now the worst it has been since the immediate aftermath of doing it, so I think it must be doing something :)

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

I would be worried about your towel rail if i were you. They should not get hot enough to burn someone's skin off from a millisecond of contact (I'm presuming you weren't pissed and therefore would have jumped away from it the minute your skin had contact with it.)

I have only ever heard of people getting burnt when they have eg fallen asleep pissed on the toilet, leaning against the towel rail.

In fact, are you sure this happened? . Because both nurses sound highly unprofessional too.

A strange situation all round.

[BrushtheHeat]

cats you poor thing. I burnt my boobs and nipples on the heated towel rail once. I was stretching up to put my folded towel on the top rung. Bloody hurt but no green gunk luckily.
Just thought I'd share my story so you know you're not the only victim of towel rail burning. Fingers crossed it heals ok

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

In fact - photo or it never happened!

You know how mumsnetters love a manky bum picture.

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

But....but....if the towel rail burns are a real thing, aren't you worried about any kids in the touching it?

[catseverywhere]

Daft as it sounds, I am grateful that it happened to me at nearly 50, because my son and his gf are having a baby later this year and I never imagined the towel rail could get so hot, and it doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened if a crawling baby had tried to pull itself up on the rail.

I don't know how long my arse was in contact with the rail - it (my arse) is fairly well padded, my head was upside down because I was towelling my hair dry and it suddenly occurred to me that I had a pain on my bum cheek, and yes, I moved pretty sharpish at that point.

The whole situation with the nurses was very humorous, I started by saying 'don't laugh but I've burnt my bum' and we went from there. It certainly did not feel unprofessional, it just felt like were all agreed that it looked a bit mank but we would sort it out.

[Potterwolfie]

Ouch that sounds incredibly painful, you did the right thing to see the nurse, hope you're feeling better soon.

I have to confess at letting out a snigger when I read your post title, and I know that makes me terrible person. I'm not laughing now. Honest.

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

" it suddenly occurred to me that I had a pain on my bum cheek, and yes, I moved pretty sharpish at that point"

. Your bum doesn't sound very sensitive if you didn't realise it was getting burned straight away. I would have squealed like a stuck pig the minute my downy arse hairs got singed.

I think you'll need resensitisation exercises after the area has healed. Get your other half to tickle you with a feather and you can tell him when it touches you.

[icysphincterporn]

Oh cats bless you, that sounds so painful and no, not funny at all. I'm glad you've been seen and are receiving treatment because burns can get nasty very quickly.

I, too, am worried about the heat of the towel rail. I also burned my bottom but because it wasn't as hot, it didn't cause such an issue.

Take care of yourself.