Does this wound look infected? Do I need to seek help tonight?

[GrazeConcern]

DS grazed his knee in the swimming pool on Friday, he said it felt sore so we’ve been putting germoline on it and he says it hurts much less now. However I’ve just taken a look at it and feel a bit horrified. Any mn wisdom? I will obviously seek nhs advice too but sometimes it’s useful to know what others think!

The scab in the middle is hard but it’s like the skin around is peeling off in a bigger area each day and weeping.

Glad to hear it, @GrazeConcern.
In answer to your initial question, no, it doesn't need to be seen tonight. You'd think I'd suggested you call an ambulance from some replies I got! I hope your sons leg is better soon.

@Snapandfart24 I made that comment as the poster is clearly worried enough to consider taking her child somewhere tonight to be seen - talking about it being 'near the bone' insinuating very serious complications etc doesn't really help and as a mum to a small child would really worry me. A proportionate response was what I was getting at, apologies if it offended you.
(Also a nurse with many years of wound specific training)

@SlB09 Oh not offended in the slightest, it doesn't do to take offence on mumsnet 😉 I certainly didn't mean to cause alarm.
Your advice will be very helpful to OP as someone so qualified. That's the great thing about this site 😊

That's healing. It's a bit oozy but not something I would be concerned about. Because of the ooze, leave it uncovered to help it dry out. It doesn't need looking at tonight. If you're still worried tomorrow get a pharmacist to have a quick look.

NB: I'm not a medical person in any form, but a fairly unflappable mother of three adult sons who constantly got into scrapes

The wound itself doesn't look all that bad. but keep an eye on the creeping pinkness of the skin around it, and if that starts to spread, then he does need to be seen by someone.

I was just thinking the same thing.

Ah I remember the days of flaps of skin, TCP, and the most glorious scabs that followed.

It looks like a normal scabby knee. The skin peeling off is just damaged skin. That is new skin underneath it. And even if it did become infected it doesn't mean he'll need antibiotics to prevent sepsis. MN is obsessed with sepsis.

Savlon will save you with this one. Let it get lots of air to dry out but makes sure its clean and no fluff has gotten in from trousers etc and then keep applying savlon and that should do the trick!

I work in wound care. Give it a clean and try to gently remove any scab, then apply a compeed dressing to ensure a moist environment. Wounds do not heal in a dry environment! This is very old school and now it is evidenced that wounds need a moist environment. It is not infected and does not require anything other than self care at home. If it continues to spread redness and is hot painful and exuding consider a visit to a pharmacist but honestly as others have said it is not worthy of Gp visit and looks like a normal childhood graze!

It looks like a perfectly normal healing wound. I deal with infected wounds and sepsis every day at work. Scabs can pull at new skin underneath causing pain.
There is no spreading infection in the surrounding tissues either.

This is it this morning - the scab has fallen off but I think it is infected as the edges are now swollen and it’s got bigger overnight. I realised in the night that the original injury was the scabbed area the rest is what’s spread since.

Will seek pharmacy/gp today.

Yeah get it look at in pharmacy. What is the black stuff?? Initially thought it looked like stitches…

Black is just clothing fluff - will wash it worth salt water in a minute

Good luck OP, hopefully it's fine but if it needs a wee dressing and some quick advice he deserves that, as do you to put your mind at rest. Ignore the nonsense about not bothering the pharmacy or nurse. You're entitled to peace of mind where your child is concerned. If they tell you it's fine you can forget it, if it's not it was best seen.

Lay off the germoline and leave it alone

Friction burns/grazes often look inconsequential to start with and then worse as they heal, so I don't think the fact it looks worse than when he did it is a problem in itself.

No, that would be underinvestment in the NHS.

The Germoline is keeping it moist, OP.
clean and dry it thoroughly and cover with a dry, breathable dressing like Mepore, available in chemists/pharmacies.

You are getting a lot of mixed advice here. Personally I wouldn't panic but I don't like the way that pink ring looks and thing it all looks a bit festy, so I'd try and see someone (not a and e, minor injuries, or gp, I don't know if pharmacist do wounds do they?).
Let us know the verdict!

Our local pharmacist would advise on that, if you have one at your GP practice, go there. Not sure about Boots, tho, they are useless in our nearest branch.

Get to the pharmacy, you want wound cleaner spray and some decent sized adhesive dressings. Keep clean and dry and use the spray. He will be fine.

Called pharmacy (we’re rural so it’s 30 mins way) and they said they wouldn’t look at a wound on a child. Called our gp - they got him in 20 mins later, confirmed it’s infected (it’s almost visibly growing at the edge this morning) and prescribed fucidic acid. I think I knew deep down there wasn’t something quite right with it!

Glad you went and got the antibiotic cream

in the US you can buy antibiotic cream off the shelf (literally bought in a Disney Hotel shop) and give it out if you graze a knee (DS got some from the first aid at Magic Kingdom) here we should at least allow Pharmacies to sell it if needed!

anything that grows from the initial site can be infected and can get serious quite quickly it is always best to check

Well done OP.

I know I got a proper slating for saying get it looked at, but on the rare occasion it looks dodgy, just get it checked!

You did the right thing and it's sorted. Enjoy the rest of your week 😊

Anyone still around? It’s still getting worse 😢 it’s strange, it keeps blistering and growing around the edge and then when the blister bursts it obviously leaves a new area of raw skin.