Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this graze that's gone pussy doesn't need medical help? (photo)

32 replies

chihuauaInSombrero · 14/01/2018 18:32

DS (11) grazed his knee in the school playground on Thursday. The lady in the medical room cleaned it up and asked him if he wanted a plaster but he said no. He went swimming after school. By the time he got home and showed me the knee it was still weeping blood so I cleaned it with disinfectant and put a plaster on it. Next morning it was pussy. Now, 3 days later it's still pussy. I'm cleaning it and changing the dressings regularly. They're still coming off wet with puss but slightly less so each time, so I think it's probably getting better.

I just looked up on NHS UK about whether there's anything else I should be doing and it says if a wound is showing signs of infection, including being pussy, you should seek medical help, i.e. "call NHS 111 or visit your local walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or GP surgery ". But I'm thinking that's not really necessary in the circumstances (there's no swelling, he doesn't have a temperature or any other signs of being unwell, and I think it's getting better) and that it's no wonder the NHS is over-run if people are following online advice like this to the letter.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Orlandointhewilderness · 14/01/2018 18:34

nope, i'd be leaving that alone.

DarkPeakScouter · 14/01/2018 18:36

I did this. My child wound up with a raging staph infection and are on the rail end of a ten day course of antibiotics - up to you if you see a dr or leave it. I wish I had ignored DH and taken DS to surgery.

inthehat · 14/01/2018 18:38

YABU for getting on your high horse about the NHS being on its knees when you sent a child swimming with a bleeding wound!

Tipsntoes · 14/01/2018 18:38

I've always left these too and usually all is well, but we recently lost a colleague whose cut finger got infected. She was dead within days, it was unbelievably quick and devastating.

Imnotaslimjim · 14/01/2018 18:38

That isn't puss, just a damp wound. Leave it uncovered as much as possible and it should heal fine.

FrostyThirties0 · 14/01/2018 18:40

It’s because you’re keeping it covered. It needs to dry out and scab.

TheGoldenBowl · 14/01/2018 18:40

imthehat

She didn't send him swimming - he went swimming before OP saw the wound.

LyraPotter · 14/01/2018 18:41

Keep it uncovered for a bit now. Plasters leave cuts moist and warm which is prime breeding ground for bacteria. It will dry out and heal much more quickly if it's uncovered. My nurse MIL is totally against plasters unless the cut is very likely to come into contact with filth because cuts heal so much quicker without them.

LokiBear · 14/01/2018 18:43

It doesn't look like puss to me either. Is the area warm or hot to touch?

gamerchick · 14/01/2018 18:43

Put some germoline on and keep it covered during the day and take off at night to air. It’ll dry out.

I say keep it covered during the day to stop the trouser rubbing while it sorts itself out.

That’s all I do anyway. Other people might do it differently.

Paintspotsonthefloor · 14/01/2018 18:45

It doesnt look that bad to me. I definitely agree with pps though. It is covering the wound that is doing the damage. Keep it uncovered if you can. It needs air to heal.

SeaToSki · 14/01/2018 18:45

Another one saying let it dry out. Puss is much more gunky than that. That is what i would call a weeping wound.

Partypopper123 · 14/01/2018 18:46

Unless it goes hot & red around the wound i wouldn't. Like PP has said give lit a clean tonight, put don germolene on it and leave it uncovered overnight and see how it looks.
It only keep plasters on my kids cuts for the first day otherwise they don't dry out.

brownelephant · 14/01/2018 18:46

I would get an alginate dressing to prevent scarring

Partypopper123 · 14/01/2018 18:46

Sorry about typos 😡. Hope you get the gist!

Grilledaubergines · 14/01/2018 18:49

That doesn't look like puss, just damp and weepy. Let the air get to it and it'll scab.

PrettyLittleBrownEyedMe · 14/01/2018 18:59

Why is everyone saying 'puss'?! Nothing feline about it...

It's pus!

And it'll be fine. Just leave it to dry out a bit.

LokiBear · 14/01/2018 19:00

Pus/puss: my excuse is autocorrect!

Grilledaubergines · 14/01/2018 19:00

Puss or pus, doesn't matter. Everyone knows what is meant.Confused

IJoinedJustToPostThis · 14/01/2018 19:03

I had a wound like that. Ended up having it debrided by a nurse and with a horrible scar that stops me wearing short sleeves.

I would take it to a HCP.

RagamuffinCat · 14/01/2018 19:03

It looks more like granulated tissue to me?

AuntLydia · 14/01/2018 19:06

Is the pus yellow? I can't see any on the picture. I agree with leaving the plaster off - put him in shorts if your house is warm enough.

highinthesky · 14/01/2018 19:08

Pity, I only looked at the thread to see the pussy! I have seen much in my time but never a cat licking a human graze Grin

Keep the area clean with warm salted water, and exposed to the air. You’ll be surprised how quickly it heals.

Obviously, be careful it’s not at risk of further physical injury. If it starts to hurt, swell up hard and exudes a coloured gunk (a straw coloured serum is normal) then it’s time to trouble the NHS.

magoria · 14/01/2018 19:11

As well as keeping it uncovered to dry and scab, don't over clean. You need to leave the body to do what it should to rather than wash off all the natural antibodies etc.

eggsandwich · 14/01/2018 19:17

I’d do the same as gamerchick has suggested, love the smell of germoline Smile