Minor injuries or treat at home?

[ScaredSceptic]

This is the sole of my foot, outside edge. It's about 2cm x 1cm. I was in the garden wearing slides, slipped and scraped the skin off on the edge of a paving slab.

It bled a bit, but stopped fairly quickly and I've cleaned it as best I can (it's a very awkward place to reach easily) and put savlon on it. I've got this flap of loose skin there which wants to go back over the wound but not sure if I should let it, or if the skin flap needs to come off.

Obviously I'll keep it covered but I'm a bit concerned about the risk of infection given it was scraped on a dirty paving slab. However don't want to waste NHS resources for what is a fairly small scrape.

Would you just keep an eye on it? If it wasn't on my foot and hadn't happened against a dirty paving slab I wouldn't even consider getting it looked at, but just not sure.

Wash it with boiled water that's had salt added to it and then cooled to warmth, then stick a plaster/small wound dressing on it - unless you are diabetic, immune suppressed and haven't had full course of tetanus vaccinations, that's probably going to be healed within the week.

Check your tetanus jab history. I was told that as long as I’d had 4 I was okay when bitten by a dog.

You can’t go to minor injuries for a scrapes foot. I’d dodo it in salt water and put a plaster on it. Go to pharmacy if it looks red or inflamed (but even then inadine will sort it out).

I'm pretty sure I've never had a tetanus jab as an adult. I'm 50.

I had a similar injury from stepping on my dog's chewy bone thing - it peeled off a slab of skin too! I put some antibacterial stuff on it with a plastic and kept changing it. It healed well.

Every time I've changed doctor's surgery they've checked my status re tetanus and other jabs. I'd be amazed if you are registered with a UK doctor and have never had a tetanus. I'm sure their systems would have flagged it up. Why not give your surgery a ring and ask.

Otherwise, whack a plaster on it. Eventually that flap of skin will dry out and fall off by itself. If it does get a big hot and itchy, go and show it to your pharmacist.

Put some germolene on and let it dry out

I'd phone the GP to check on tetanus status and sort that out.

I'm sure I will have had them as a child, but I don't know if I had the full course or if a booster is needed as an adult.

I've been with the same GP surgery since I was born, so it's not something I've ever been asked! I'll give them a ring to check.

I wouldn't seek medical help for a scrape/graze.

Just clean it, put some germolene on it and keep an eye.

I nearly sliced the tip of my finger off 2 days ago. If it didn't stop bleeding I'd have considered going for a stitch but it did. I was a bit concerned when it bled again yesterday evening, but I kept it covered until yesterday afternoon and now its healing.

If you're diabetic then keep a close eye. Foot wounds can go wrong quickly. Keep it clean and if you have any worries go to the clinic.

Thanks all, as I said if it was a cut/scrape anywhere else, I wouldn't even think of getting it checked, but I'm wary of foot wounds, especially as it happened outdoors.

Not really sure why I have it in my head that a foot wound could be more problematic, or whether it's true!

This is the “cure all” for everything in our house and will go on my head stone - “She didn’t put germolene on it” 😂
Broken leg?…. Put some germolene on it
Arm hanging off …. Put some germolene on it

In this case it will definitely do the job 💪🏻

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cuts-and-grazes/

That skin flap isnt going to grow back so I'd be tempted to cut it back to stop it catching. Wouldnt worry about tetanus. Ideally air it out so it dries. I once used a "liquid plaster" a pharmacist advised and it was hopeless.

I wouldn't even consider seeking medical treatment for something like that! Stick some germolene on it & you'll be fine!

Surprised you’d even consider getting medical for something so minor. Shove some germolene on it. It’s just a scrape.

Good wash, big plaster.

Then you need a cup of tea and to watch the Olympics with your foot raised. 30 minutes should do it...

It's not possible to stick bits of skin back down so that'll dry up and fall off.

Snip off the dead skin with sterilised scissors, whack on some savlon, bung on a plaster and get on with your day.

My mums go to was TCP 😂

Did you try putting a wet paper towel on it op? 😂

Are you thinking of diabetics when you're being extra worried because it's on your foot? I think if you have diabetes then foot wounds can be a lot worse because of poor circulation. I could be wrong about that but I have also got in my head that foot injuries are especially bad for diabetics (I don't think it applies if you don't have diabetes though).

I’m not sure I’d give it the grand title of a food wound, it’s a little scrape.

This is one of the reasons GPs/Minor injuries are struggling. That would not even cross my radar to even consider a visit.

Yes I think that could be where that thought has come from.

Anyway I've cleaned it, germolened it and covered it, and hopefully it will all be good.