Does this need A&E ?

[freshin]

My son at uni just walked into a metal bar at a gym. He’s just told me and sent photos. He’s hours away. I’m wondering if he needs it looking at? He’s not concerned but I am. He doesn’t have a first aid kit. Hard to tell how bad it is from photos and untrained eye so I’d appreciate advice please.

The cut looks ok to me. I think it might benefit from some butterfly stitches to hold it together to minimise scarring. It looks like it will heal fine on its own though.

I'd be more worried about him hitting his head that hard.

I'd say so, because they will clean and tape it, so it will be less likely to scar. But on the other hand - it's a Friday evening so he could be in for a long wait.

I would steristrip that. The sooner the better. Can he buy some and have a go?
Usual head injury precautions.

Tell him to pop to Boots for some steri strips to hold it together, maybe show the pharmacist - also an easy night if he’s has a pretty hard bump to the head!

It needs glueing.. nurse at GP can do it.
Or walk in centre or A&E.

It’s highly likely to scar….my daughter had a similar injury as a toddler and even with minor injuries input, she has a distinctive scar a decade later. Definitely not appropriate for a&e, has he no other options locally? Call 111 if unsure.

not sure who else to suggest he goes to on a Friday evening

Because it’s a head injury, I’d be inclined to say yes.

That’s what 111 is for. Our urgent care centres locally are open til 9 .

I’d get some healing spray/strips and do it at home. By the time you get seen in a&e it will have started to heal.

Was he knocked out ,did it knock him dizzy
will scar but it looks swollen so not sure how successful gluing would be be as it would be difficult to pull together
they might offer to stitch but that could possibly wave a worse scar

Yes minor injury units at a and e

not steri strips as it’s a facial wound. Needs glue if it isn’t too long. So it’s .A & E.

An ice pack would have been a good starting point.

Does his uni have an urgent care or GP on site? He might need a few stitches

My son had a near identical cut as a 3yo (different accident though!) And although it's scarred it healed really well. We went to our A&E who directed to minor injuries (it's in the same hospital but you can only be referred by A&E, it's very odd compared to others i read about on here) and they glued it. Usual head advice. Agree he'll be in longer with it being an adult on a Friday night but because of where it is I def recommend having someone look at it.

See if there is a minor injuries unit near his Uni, they can glue and steri strip it.

They’ll glue it. My ds had a gash like this as a toddler, it’s still a visible scar to this day !

If he's hit his head that hard against metal that it's cut the skin surely he needs checking for possible concussion/bleed anywhere else?

steri strips from a chemist
if he is at uni is there a medical centre

He went to A&E because there was nowhere else open at that time on a Friday evening. They kindly cleaned and glued it.

@freshin Glad to hear he got it sorted, and hopefully it will heal quickly. 🙂

For future reference- point out to him that most places have first aiders. So if he doesn’t have sufficient self care skills to manage an injury that occurs away from
home, ask for a first aider.

I think it would be a wise idea for him to go to A&E. The wound may not look too serious, but you don't no what may be going on beneath it.

Yes I have told him this and also accidents should be reported.