To ask you what to do about my hands?

[Cathycomehome]

We had a small house fire last week, and to cut a long story short, I burnt my hands, which are now wrinkled, peeling, scabbing a bit and painful, or itchy anyway, enough to be keeping me awake.

I've been putting moisturiser on which helps a bit, but what else should I do? They're driving me mental!

Did you see the doc about them? Surely theres something they can give you?

:( sounds painful. And traumatic. Poor you!

I don't know whether to bother the doctor, they're not infected, just deeply irritating and ugly

aloe vera gel?

I hadn't thought of that, I'll try it tomorrow, thanks.

no scrap that. proper aloe vera from a proper plant.

Oh, not a plant! Where would I get one if them from??

hmm, i've never bought one. possibly you might get extract (is that what it's called) in a health food store.

the plant itself? emm a garden centre or nursery? sorry, i'm useless.

I've decided to eat Maltesers. This seems to be helping

You really ought to get them looked at by GP

Do you think? I have to try and sleep now, I expect I could get an appointment for tomorrow evening, but don't want to waste their time.

I don't think it's wasting time. Friend of mine burnt her hands (accident with kettle) and she went to A&E, was given special cream and dressings. The burns weren't really bad, but sound similar. Doctor said it was important to treat the skin so it didn't go 'tight'. No harm in getting them checked out.

Ibruprofen will help with any inflammation and chocolate.

However, I'd ring your GP and get the practice nurse to look at them just in case they are better covered. Preventing infection is very important.

I had a severe burn to my foot last year and they had lots of exciting ointments, some to prevent infection, some to numb pain. Plus a rather interesting silicone skin with holes in. It doesn't sound as though you'd need that, but the nurse can almost certainly help with this kind of thing. I was about 4 weeks having it dressed by them but after that they gave me loads of stuff to do it at home, so I'd be surprised if they couldn't give you something to put on it at home and help ease the discomfort.

The ugliness will go :) . I lost a lot of skin and my foot looked hideous for a quite while. I only have a very feint scar now.

I know that if you put on a cream with some camphor in it the itching will ease off - but since the reason it does, is that it brings the blood to the surface, I don't know if that would make them hurt more or extend the healing time. I use one for my itchy insect bites, it's not available in the UK but it smells like olbas oil in vaseline - which is possibly what it is.

Perhaps cover them in e45 and use some plastic gloves (like you'd wear if you were dyeing your hair) to seal the moisture in, overnight.

Sounds awful, hope there wasn't any damage apart from your poor hands...

Definitely go to the doctor and get some proper treatment recommended! It's not a waste of their time!

Go to a+e. Seriously.

Aloe vera gel from a plant is amazing. I highly reccommend you get some plants.

I cant keep.them alive but my GM has huge ones and if we get sunburn we just go break off a leave. Really handy.

ooh yes musicposy, I second the ibuprofen idea

Thanks for advice, first day back at work tomorrow, well today now so must close eyes and ignore itching for now.