Hole in hand - AIbU to watch and wait?

[PlayTheBastardAnyway]

Last week I fell over, took the top layer (maybe 2nd layer too as there was no feeling in the wound when I touched it) of skin off the palm of my hand.

I washed it and then forgot about it - a few days later it was really hurting and red so I went to walk in centre, was prescribed antibiotics which I’m still taking religiously.

It formed a horrible thick scab - still very painful - I covered it up for work and when I took the dressing off later on pus had started weeping out of the scab. I continued with the antibiotics.

Fast forward to today, scab somehow came dislodged over night and has come off - wound is still open and raw underneath! Hardly any healing has gone on under there! It’s no longer red and doesn’t look infected. Just an open wound as if I’ve only just done it. It’s been 9 days now …

Ive covered it back up and am leaving it covered. As it’s no longer showing signs of infection WIBU to just leave it to see if another scab forms? Don’t fancy sitting in walk in centre for another 5 hours

Oh God no. Of course you need to get this looked.

That's horrendous.

It needs to air dry.

Agreed that it needs some air to it.

Try 111, they may be able to get you an appt at a walk in centre so you don't have to wait so long

If you really feel the need to put anything on it, some salt dissolved in warm water and let dry naturally.

I’ve just rang 111 and they’re getting back to me in the next 4 hours. So you think I should take the plaster off?

I think you should get advice from a HCP first. Pharmacist if need be, but definitely someone with some medical training who has seen it IRL.

Hands are different from the rest of your body as they move so much the skin is rarely at rest in order to heal. They need to be seen by a clinician for much smaller traumas than say a leg. Def go and get it looked at, it sounds like it needs to be properly dressed

Agree you need to get it looked at. From my understanding, its no longer recommended to let wounds air dry, they heal much quicker with moisture so are better kept covered (with dressing regularly changed) - but I'm not an HCP so better get professional advice!

Sounds normal to me - if the redness has gone its not critical. But it prob needs a clean and rewrapped. If you are really worried about it go to the pharmacist. They have the good plasters as well - ie proper dressings so worth a trip - they should be able to sell singles if you ask rather than big packs

I have an open wound/large gaping hole in my hand after a nasty injury was glued not stitched and has since reopened. I'm on a long course of antibiotics and have to see the nurse at the GP every four days to have it redressed. It absolutely must remain covered, cannot get wet and must not be exposed to the air. Yours sounds similar, you should get a nurses appt asap.

Anyone else desperate for a picture?

Yup 🤣

Yes we need to see a picture IMHO.

Hope it gets better soon though OP.

Hell yes

I would go to a pharmacy and get advice from the pharmacist.

Only reason I opened the thread.

YES!

I'd cover it with a colloidal (blister) plaster

We need photo proof

What advice did they give you about the dressing? You want to be keeping it clean and dry so I would imagine it needs re-dressing, that's all.

Sometimes 'getting some air to it' is a good idea for certain types of wound, but yours sounds like the kind of thing that needs to keep a dressing on it for a bit longer.

Do you smoke @PlayTheBastardAnyway ? As that can seriously hinder the body's healing process

Getting air to a deep wound is ot recommended. Partly because of risk of infection and partly because skin needs a moist healing environment to properly grow and heal.
Also a large wound on the hand needs careful management because if it doesn't heal well it could mean your hand loses flexibility and function due to build up of inflexible scar tissue
You need to be seen again, op. Please go today!

Due to popular demand I’ll upload a picture when I next change the dressing

here’s one from before it went bad though! (Trust me, it got worse 😂)

111 said to keep it dressed and carry on with antibiotics

Are you washing it out with anything? I'd do a salt water wash once a day or use chlorhexidine extremely watered down. If you want to speed it up buy some manuka honey bandages, it draws infection to the surface and promotes healing, they're used on bed sores which are notoriously hard to make scab over and heal. I wouldn't have gone to A and E over that, it's just a scrape. The reasons antibiotics don't always work is different bacteria need different antibiotics.
Sorry for nerd, I love wound treatment.