What to do with wound/cut on knee?

[Covgal83]

So, a mumsnet search helped massively when I originally injured my knee so shall ask on here! Pic of injury below so potential TW I guess.

Fell off my bike and got a relatively deep gravelly would on Sunday. Cleaned it as per advice found on here on an old thread. Have been covering it and changing dressing daily. Despite being non stick, the dressing does stick and disturbs the cut every time I change it. As it's now day 5, should I be leaving it off? Or keeping it covered? Any other advice, please and thank you?

Asked two separate pharmacists. Got conflicting advice (1 keep covered. 1 let it air). It doesn't hurt and seems to be getting better!

Thank you.

Well from experience you wouldn't want it scabbing over with an infection as that's extremely painful. I would keep it covered if you're out but at home give it some air

Thank you for your thoughts. I don't think it's infected? I'm thinking you're right: cover out and about, air it at home for now!

I am not a medical professional.

However, I believe the advice is to keep it covered and try not to disturb it. It tends to look a bit horrible as it heals which can make you panic. I use the melanin (I don’t think that’s the right word!) non stick dressing pads under an adhesive dressing, maybe some gauze also in between. Or the alginate dressings are good.

but do keep a close eye and seek proper medical advice if healing stalls, any pain, redness etc.

Put a hydrochloride dressing on it. It will help it to heal faster.

I wouldn’t air it.

Grr auto correct, obvs meant hydrocolloid

Hydrocolloid?

It doesn't look infected. I was unlucky. I did it by tripping in the work car park and they cleaned it thoroughly. It healed and I only knew it was infected when it was red hot and very very painful a few days later

Thank you. I shall get myself to a chemist. Odd they didn't make that suggestion!

I would change the dressing less frequently, every 2 or 3 days to disturb it less but still keep it protected.

This is what I’d do:
Loose non stick dressing so air can get to it.
If you can bear it & are at home, short periods of airing without dressing.
Try to avoid getting it soaked in shower. Keep dressing on and then remove after shower and tenderly pat or press dry
Poor you. It looks like you had quite a fall. Get well soon.

Hydrocolloid dressing will help but leave it on for 3-5 days without changing unless looking infected….red hot oozing. changing it daily is just removing the healing skin to be removed.
alternatively leave in air apply a thin layer of Vaseline to stop it from drying out too much and pat it dry if it gets wet don’t let clothing stick to it etc

It doesn't look infected, personally I would leave it to dry out so wouldn't put a dressing on, well unless clothes are likely to stick to it etc.

Have a little read to about wound healing but letting it dry out is a bit of a myth. Wounds heal best in moist conditions. Hope you get sorted soon.