Is there anything I can do to stop/reduce a wound from scarring? (Possibly gross!)

[BlueSlice]

I’ve got quite an open, deep cut (the sides of the wound are far apart). A first aider looked at it and decided it didn’t need any treatment apart from cleaning as it had (eventually) stopped bleeding. They said it would heal better by being left alone to dry out.

It’s now one week later and (as well as still hurting) the sides of the wound are still very wide apart and it looks like it’s going to leave an open, jagged scar.

I’m gutted that I didn’t fight for a steri strip but I couldn’t see it well so didn’t realise how bad it was until after we’d left.

Is it too late to do anything about it? Do I just need to accept it’s going to scar?

Hydrocolloid dressings - Boots do them.

I knew someone on MN would be able to help!! Thanks so much @SomethingOnce !

I would seek qualified medical attention. You'll not get any kind of decent result by popping to Boots.

I’m a surgeon. Go to ED - if needed and possible they will still be able to close the wound but would have to clean and freshen the edges ( inject local and cut off the dried out edges). You cannot stitch/ steristrip a week- old wound without doing this .

By ED do you mean emergency department @olympicsrock ?

I feel so silly 🙈 It feels like such a vain reason to bother them.