@@paulwootton5378huh...? What do you even mean? They say "real life" as in this is actually useful for daily things. Scraping your knee is something that can happen and it's good to know what to do. It's not unrealistic to have some ointments or at least a bandaid at home
@@miclovesarthey, firstly I'm sorry that you're experiencing this on such a level :( And secondly I wanted to ask how you take care of cuts that probably should be stitched but you can't or don't want to get stitches.. Because I always let my cuts air out except for this one time where I put antiseptic creme and a bandaid on it. And that was the only time ever that a cut got infected so I never did it again. Air out was the way to go for me..
@@jfm14 it depends on how deep the cut is. I understand this short for only very little accidents when the skin is only scraped little, not a deep cut. As a person with cats I know it is important to *always* desinfect the wound if a cat scratched your skin. If they bite you you should visit a doctor because cats can have very dirty tooth and their tooths are thin and very pointed, so bacteria can go deep into your skin and as soon as the tooth is out of the wound the skin closes over it, perfect for bacteria growth. If it goes into your blood you can become septic. Also it depends on where you was while hurting yourself. In garden you can have tetanus in the flower earth, in horse stables too. So it can be important to know how long ago your last tetanus vaccination was.
@@Ba-Dum-Tssssin my experience, letting them scab over (which doesn't really easily happen when they're moist and covered) makes them heal faster. I really dgaf about scars
@@TheOwlQueen I’ve had the same experience! Whenever I seal a wound under a bandaid it take wayyy longer to scab and heal. Yeah, airing out may scar it a bit, but it’ll fade over time
@@TheOwlQueen yeah lmao like I get these kind of videos/comments but if you don't really dive a damn about scars. It doesn't really matter. I actually like scars lmao obviously not healthy either but what the hell lmao
I am now 52 years old, and have taken the advice of many people over the years and trust me, every one gives different advice... i have had hundreds of cuts and scrapes in my life, and i can WITHOUT A DOUBT say that cuts on my body heal uncovered in 1-2 days tops.. cuts on my body covered with ointment applied can take up to 2 weeks..!!! So NO i will continue my own way thank you very much..
Same, i usually don't even clean them. My hands, arms, and feet (I'm barefoot as much as possible) are covered in scares from cuts and burns, and i never use ointment or bandages. If they ever get infected, which is rare, I just squeeze it out once or twice and it heals up.
Yeah, the first time I heard the "cover it" method I tried it & the wound took longer to heal by far. Tried it again a few years later & same thing. In between, I had done the "let it dry" method & everything healed well with minimal to no scarring. Probably not going to try the "cover it" method again unless it's a really deep cut more prone to infection.
You actually heal from the inside outward. The scab just prevents bleeding and acts like a barrier. The Vaseline or oil based product does the same thing, but it keeps things moist, preventing scar tissue. I use a silver gel because silver is antibacterial.
No. You actually heal from the outside in. Tattoo research can back this up. The outer layer heals first to prevent things from getting inside, and then, depending on how deep the trauma to the skin is, it takes 6 months to a year to fully heal the inner layers, as well.
I remember reading that Medieval doctors figured out that leaving wounds open, instead of closing them up straight away, led to better healing and less deaths from wounds! Admittedly, these weren't just 'scrapes' but were often deep wounds caused by swords etc. But if the wounds were closed too quickly, and pus that formed inside could not escape, and the patient got blood poisoning and died. If the wound was loosely covered with bandages which were changed frequently, before the wound was sewn up, the healing was much quicker. Apparently, these early doctors experimented with wounds on bears before translating this knowledge into treatment for humans. I suppose also that covering a cut/scrape or not might depend on the area of that cut/scrape. I'd be more likely to cover a large scrape, mainly to keep it clean and stop clothing etc from rubbing on it, potentially making it inflamed.
Hopefully you can heal the inside before the outer wound seals up. After a major surgery the large abdominal site looked to be healing up nicely. Until it geysered infection and liquefied fat. I had to spend the next couple of weeks using sterile long q-tips to reopen the wound until the inside healed first. DIY liposuction as well. LOL
Couldn't agree more. Nano silver gel is the G.O.A.T. Heals really fast with little of no scarring. Too bad I can't upload a picture. I had a bad crash on my road bike where I landed on my elbow on cement at about 20mph. It vaporized the skin and meat to the point I had a silver dollar sized hole where you could see the bone. In 3 weeks in healed with virtually no scarring. Just a little bump on my elbow to remind me.
As someone who works for a dermatologist, our dermatologist recommends clean it, apply a thin layer of Vaseline, but then keep it UNCOVERED. The bandage should only be put on/kept in during the first 24 hours to help with bleeding. Once it stops bleeding, we tell patients to keep it uncovered. We notice far more incidents of infection with people when they keep a wound bandaged. It really does heal better if you let it get a bit of air to it. The moist, damp environment under a bandage is perfect for bacteria. Vaseline does a good enough job to help with wound healing but keep it uncovered.
I would think the location would also matter - if it’s in a place where you are likely to rub off the Vaseline pretty much immediately, it makes sense to keep it covered. Like if I have a cut on my hand, between just using my hands and washing them, an uncovered wound has a high likelihood of being re-opened.
It doesn't seem like she knows how to care for scrapes or cuts either. We all know putting a band-aid on a fresh scrape/ cut keeps it too moist making that baby last for several days. I'm a more of a, "let it air out" kinda gal
kept a bandaid on a large excision area for a week. it was the fastest healing injury i’ve ever had and left almost no scar. it doesn’t increase infection as long as you clean it regularly and change the bandage. a doctor should know that
I treat cuts like I treat tattoos because thats pretty much what a tattoo is. I keep it covered the first 24hrs, and then I leave it uncovered until it heals.
Yes!! This is what I subconsciously do because I just find it so uncomfortable to just keep covering it after I feel like I don’t really need to!! Also all my scars pretty much fade and it might be because of this of maybe just my genes, I dunno
Nowadays many tattoo artists will give you a second-skin bandage which you can leave on for 5 days. It’s basically the same idea: keeping the wound covered, and it prevents scabbing which reduces the chance of losing ink.
I skateboard, badly, and I fall a lot. All that road rash has shown me how amazing the bodies scabbing mechanism is! The injured skin will first express a clear liquid to lift away the dirt, then the scab forms a perfect seel. Bandaids are germy, and the increased moisture inhibits healing. I only use them if I'm bleeding, and worried about blood stains.
That scab is perfect, had it once when I had big scrap on my arm. It protected the wounded area so fast and didn't fall of until the skin healed. No scaring and I didn't have to do anything other than cleaning the wound with soap and water.
Bandaids are bad if its bleeding through it. As soon as you see blood at the top you need to change it as it is then a gateway for bacteria. But before that it protects the wound. Moisture does not delay healing, there is lots of scientific research on this. It increases the rate of healing by a lot unless done in a unhygeinic way. Air is cytotoxic (poison) to cells, cells that are responible for healing and building the skin can’t really move through the dry air.
My own experience is that covered cuts take longer to heal. Our bodies have a natural cover for cuts and I trust my body. Only times I cover is It's a big and weepy wound (like a nasty burn I had a while back) If it's in a spot that is constantly knocked or otherwise irritated (like on a fingertip) If I'm doing stuff that would get dirt in it ( like gardening) I'm also not afraid of scars, they tell the story of what my body has survived and I actually quite like most of them 😂
did you ever to a head to head test where you covered one wound and did not cover the other to see how much longer one took? Because mine seem to heal more quickly with cleaning, Vaseline, and covering w bandage. 🤷🏻♀️ and the benefits of a lower infection risk and better scar appearance are what most people are going for.
Personal experience taught me otherwise- I wound up with wicked road rash down my back and thigh. We cleaned the wounds out really well and applied Vaseline as suggested here. The wound on my back we kept covered, but the wound on my thigh we wound up letting air out since the bandages kept rubbing on my shorts and getting pulled off anyway. My thigh started looking much better in about 4 days, while my back refused to close up. After a week and a half, I put my foot down and 'let it air out.' It started to heal in 3 days of doing so.
Same thing happened to me. I scraped my knee though. I cleaned it and placed neosporine and bandaged it up every day for a week, sometimes 2x/day. It felt terrible walking and wouldn’t heal. Once I stopped the treatment and I allowed it to air out, it got better. What’s up with that?
@@schlierencombustI’m wondering if airing it out helps it heal quicker because it’s not being kept moist and covered ? Just gotta keep it clean which is hard for kids to do, hence the ointment and bandaids maybe …
So this advice really applies to minor scrapes and cuts. If it's anything deeper than a moderate cut airing it out will help a scab form. Once the scab forms you can start keeping it bandaged with ointment on it to help the skin stay supple during healing.
When I cover wounds, they NEVER heal. Like days pass and I still have a massive open wound, and it starts to get infected. It actually used to be a problem when I worked in a restaurant and legally had to cover them. I find they heal way better when they're left uncovered (after stopping the bleeding of course).
😂😂😂 I am picturing you with an open wound working in a restaurant. Also seems really really odd that your wounds only get infected when you cover them? The important steps of cleaning very well with soap and water before putting the thin layer of plain Vaseline and then a bandage minimize infection risk compared with leaving the wound open. I wonder why it’s different for you 🤷🏻♀️
Covered wounds don’t scab, which means you have to keep them meticulously clean. They will heal faster and will probably not scar, but you have to take care of them well
Check with your surgeon if you have surgery, though! Mine specifically asked me not to apply Aquaphor or Vaseline to my incisions after major surgery because they find it often creates more weeping and pus.
That's very different to a small cut or scrape. I don't think I've ever been instructed to cover a small wound (like when taking out an IV) with any type of ointment and I've been an RN for 13 years
For every cut? That seems a bit extra. I only use super glue for cuts that would probably need stitches otherwise. Like the time I sliced the tip of my finger to the bone. 😅
@@n.b.3521doesn't that prevent the skin from healing together? Since superglue takes forever just to come off the tips of your fingers I would imagine it sticks inside the wound even longer and prevents it from healing. No?
Vaseline on cuts is old school, newer research from the last few years shows it can disrupt the body's own protective film. I would add that the vaseline technique is used in body modification, specifically scarification, to promote more visible scar tissue! Quote from BBC article on the topic: Prof Ariens said: "If you get a scrape or a cut it is best to let it clot for half an hour to let the film form. Do clean it of course if it needs it, but the clot will make its own perfect plaster. After that, it might not be so bad to add petroleum jelly, but before then, from our findings, it appears to damage this film." Independent wound care advisor Jacqui Fletcher, who is also the clinical editor of the journal Wound UK, said: "You do see it used in sports. Boxing is a good example. If the fighter gets a cut they can use it to stop the blood running down the their face so that they can continue the fight. "But that's about a quick fix rather than a suitable dressing." She said, in terms of infection risk, a concern was using petroleum jelly that had been kept in the cupboard for a long time.
Aside from not using Vaseline, or the generic petroleum jelly, make sure to wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. Yes, it may sting a lot but rubbing alcohol ensures it kills off any remaining bacteria around the wound that wasn't removed by washing with soap. Health before beauty always.
@@_Just_Another_Guyrubbing alcohol will also kill healthy cells and delay healing. If you have washed the area well enough with soap and water, applying anything else is not necessary.
Just what I thought.. starts video... shoves apple in her mouth... awkward chewing/leaving apple in her cheek... then cut to the apple gone. I think she didn't think that one through 😂
I'm audhd with misophonia issues and while I ultimately appreciated the information, I know exactly 2 people I could send it to without the apple eating making them nope out immediately
Former vet tech here. Less exotic than zookeeper (although I did get to work on a tiger cub). Totally agree with you. Every scar tells a story... until you have enough that you forget which scar is which! Lol
Tattoo artist here. Moist wound care is definitely great for small wounds. I would only add.. it really depends on the bandage someone uses and how big the wound is, if medicated ointment is “unnecessary”. Having some sort of antibacterial agent in the ointment is usually a good idea.
I always use medical Honey Oitment. Lots of experience with wound care, open wounds and dirty wounds on humans and animals with immune disorders. 0 antibiotics needed in most cases. A dirty wound doesn’t need sterile gaze cause the wound itself isn’t sterile and has to heal from the inside/inside out. The tissue grows inside first and the outside of the skin must be kept open so debris can escape and the scar forming will be optimal. There are studies/papers on this topic, that explain why they changed the whole method from ‘oldschool scab forming treatment’, to ‘the keeping it moist so no scab will form treatment’. Even the difference in aftercare in tattoo shops in my experience. When I got my first tattoo long time ago, there was minimal aftercare. They just wrapped a foil on top, after some disinfection spray and after a few hours the foil came off and that’s it. Science never stands still but not many people are up to date, not even health care workers or the organization that writes their guidelines! There are differences in guidelines between different countries too, with some things they just seem to adapt the new research like a turtle.😴
I'm a nurse, I do a lot of wound care, and yes different doctors have different opinions, but the trend is going away from antibiotic ointments, to plain petrolatum. But use a new "clean" jar/tube dedicated for your wound care.
This was the advice I got from my dermatologist, I followed it religiously, and still got the most gnarly scar from a routine mole removal. It did not work AT ALL and on top of that, the bandaids I continued to apply made a horrible rash and scar (latex free)
@@Empathy-and-resilience ugh I'm so sorry! 😑 I'm still trying to find a bandaid that won't give me a rash. I don't remember them doing that when I was a kid
Yeah don't believe everyone that makes a video on you tube. She's no correct. It may be ok depending on the wound but you can't just tell people something like that blindly without seeing the wound
This is what happens to me when I continue to use bandaids for over 24 hrs. I had a worse scar from the bandaids than from the small cut I had treated underneath. Whenever I try this method, something goes wrong. The cut or scrap gets infected because it's too moist, or the bandaids cause worse irritation.
I get a reaction from the sticky party of the bandage too, so I try not to leave a bandaid on to long. If it is still bleeding a lot, I will put gauze on and strap with a clean cloth, so I don't have a bandaid rash. If come the covering once it stops bleeding.
@@Mt4evr You might be sensitive or allergic to adhesive. Try non-stick gauze pads and coban. Coban is latex-free and adhesive free. It sticks to itself kind of like the same idea as velcro. Brand name is somewhat expensive but you can buy off name for a good price!
Except the one time I did this (exactly as she described) the wound got infected, and when I went to the doctor he told me it was because I didn't let the wound area "dry out" or "air out". I had to wear skirts for two weeks while putting on antibacterial cream so it could "air it out" per doctors orders. I now have the worst scar I have ever had because of this incident.
See this is why i, a person who gets a lot of dirty injuries, actually disagree that antibiotic ointment isn't necessary. In short--why NOT add an antibiotic to the mix? You're still doing as suggestion, the base of many (most??) ointments including antibiotic is petroleum jelly. As someone else said though, you really shouldn't keep it covered too long! But i have more to add!! This is purely from personal experience. My family has a bunch of home remedies that also have medical research to back them up. But i also have 30 years of getting hurt while out in the literal swamp, I've been scratched by feral cats and bitten by random snakes and lizards and bugs, I've had a cat put all four paws and his teeth into my arm at once!!!! I've had a lot of dirty injuries!!!! Plus all the family lore of basically old wives' tales but fact checked. So, I'm not an expert, do your own research, but for what it's worth What i do is rinse it out as fast as possible with clean water. If you're by the beach salt water can help but only if there's no toxic outbreaks nearby always check water quality where you are!!!! Rinse it out really freaking well. I don't actually use soap usually because in my head that's further contaminants but i DO use soap if it's literally got Dirt on it. If it's a cat scratch my nose priority is getting antibiotic ointment on it. At that point i do cover it up, but only for like, 12 hours tops--just to make sure that ointment stays on. Tbh usually because of the ointment it comes off within a couple hours, but I'll either go to sleep and 90% of the time it comes off in the night, or else after 4 hrs or so, I'll check on it. If it's not bleeding freely and the ointment has soaked in some, I'll just pull it off. I always rub ointment off if i don't cover it, the bandaid is just me proofing 😂 Anyway so after that just air it out, no more bandages. Let it scab over, but keep an eye on it!!! If it gets puffy, really red, and/or warm to the touch, it's fighting an infecting. Put more antibiotic ointment on it. If the heat/swelling spreads, or if it gets really hot, if you develop a fever over 100F, go to the doctor, they'll give you some antibiotics to clear you up. Always keep a close eye on wounds!!! But if it doesn't worsen, then give it like 2-3 days to go away, adding antibiotic ointment to it regularly. Try to keep the area clean!!! Always keep wounds clean!!! Usually it takes like 36 hours top to get over it, just keep adding small amounts of antibiotic ointment to it whenever it's dry. You still want it to air out a little, it helps the platelets!!! You want your skin keeping a seal on it but you also want it soft enough that the antibiotic in the ointment can get into there. Sometimes the scan keeps the antibiotics out so like--keep it soft!!! You can like gently rub it with the ointment on it to break up the scab a little? It sounds gross sorry but the antibiotic can't work if it can't reach the infection that's why for a serious infection you gotta go to the doc!!! Cuts can be serious!!! I have not gone to the doctor for a cut uhh...ever though, this is pretty much my mum's method but a little streamlined. Note this is for relatively minor cuts. And uh okay here's how to tell if you have to go to the doc: If the fresh blood is purple or like really dark, that's arterial. Call 911, tell them you're bleeding people, let them talk you through it. If you can see white? Hospital, now. If *anything* on you swells to golfball size or larger, hospital, now. That's probably a really bad infection or a clot. Fun fact I've had both! Never from scratches though!! As for scars, I've got a few! But honestly? Not many, and they're pretty hard to see. Which is ironic because like, i don't mind scars! I'm pretty proud of mine, actually! But i can't even find most of them, including some pretty recent and decently bad ones!!!! Sorry, as you might have guessed i an in fact high but this is real info i swear😅 So tldr Thoroughly rinse the cut with Cian water. Apply antibiotic ointment fairly generously and add a bandage/covering to keep the ointment on for 4-12 hours. Remove bandage and let dry out. With clean hands, once it starts to scab over, gently touch it occasionally. If it starts bleeding again, if three scab feels very hard and dry and stiff, if the area around it feels dry or flakey, if it feels noticeably warm to the touch, apply antibiotic ointment. If it gets dirty, rinse thoroughly with clean water, apply antibiotic ointment. If it swells significantly, if it's very hot to the touch, if you get a fever over 100F, go to the doctor for antibiotics. Take all antibiotics as instructed. Keep applying antibiotic regularly any time the scab feels hard, dry, etc etc, until it's no longer a scab and is just nice soft skin. Keep applying semi regularly until it goes away if you really want it to go away. It might never fully fade but eventually it'll be unnoticeable. And if you ever bleeds purple, call emergency services immediately. Good luck out there fam!!! Hope this helps!!!!!!
@cozycasasmr4510 Nope. I scraped my knee, and while it was a pretty bad scrape, it was still just a scrape. Nothing too deep. Only a small amount of blood. Maybe half an inch by 1.5 inches in size. I find as long as I wash out my cuts and scrapes thoroughly, I usually heal just fine. I only cover (without ointment) if the area is still actively bleeding. But I am aware that the method described is supposed to be the best way, hence why I tried it this one time. Unfortunately it just didn't work out for me.
@cozycasasmr4510 even a tiny papercut can become infected and you can lose a finger or hand! No matter how small, you should always treat cuts asap, and keep an eye on them whilst they heal. This is especially important if your immune system is compromised, but anyone can get a bad infection!
Replace the ointment with saline solution, and then I'm with you. As another commenter stated, there are issues with products like vaseline and germaline.
as a chef, I can tell you most people don't know how to use a knife, curl your fingertips back, press your finger tips into the food, and slide the knife down along your fingers, while pushing forward. Hold the knife with three fingers gripping the handle pinch the blade between your thumb and finger. it stops the food from moving, stops the blade from twisting. prevents lots of ER visits for missing digits. and sharpen your knife, dull knives require a lot more force to use and make the whole thing more dangerous
Keeping a bandaid on for that long makes the skin around the wound get nasty, i only keep it covered with a bandaid if I'm worried it will get dirty or caught on things.
My cuts and scrapes get gross and do not heal if I keep a bandaid on with ointment. As soon as I let it “air out” the body knows what to do and it starts healing up pretty fast… no noticeable scars.
I was told that keeping a wound covered, especially with a liquid like vaseline, actually prevents healing & creates a breeding ground for infection. If it's covered like that, how does it scab over & heal? The only time that I've done this is with wounds that needed to heal from the inside out (i.e. like when a boil bursts & a scab doesn't allow the fluid to drain)
Technically all wounds heal from the inside out. Scabs are formed mainly by platelets, which come from your blood. A moisture barrier such as vaseline can help protect and moisturize the newly exposed area, but it is important that the area is sterilized before application and covered after to prevent any unwanted bacteria getting into the wound.
Agreed. Her method this inexperienced lady learned in school, that's fine if it's a deep cut and treat with merthiolate before covering. But a scrape? A scrape will heal faster if you alcohol it down after washing clean and before Vaseline. Keep it from contacting and allow it air circulation, reapply alcohol and Vaseline at least twice a day and rewash first any time it gets soiled. Heals in a couple-three days with kids.
The scab is your body's way of making a moist, clean environment for the wound to heal. But when there's a big scab it can make more scar tissue. By washing it out (with or without soap) and then covering it with ointment and a bandage it creates a moist clean environment for the wound to heal, without having to spend time and space to make a scab.
This is true. In dealing with multiple skin cancer removals, I tested the theory. Let one dry out and treated the others as she stated, clean, Vaseline and bandaged. The one I let dry out took much longer to heal than the one I kept moist. This worked for the minor ones as well as the ones that required stitches. Also, stitch removal on the ones kept moist was super easy -they slid right out, compared to the ones I didn’t do as good a job keeping moist. The stitches stuck to the would and hurt when pulled out. TRUST ME!! After more skin cancer removals than I can count, moist is best!!
Doctors have found that using antibacterial ointment is really not helpful to the healing of the wound and can cause bacterial resistance.. As long as you wash it out with soap and water and dry it, all you need is to apply a light coat of Vaseline and keep it bandaged only as long as it takes to stop the bleeding. After that, apply a light coat of Vaseline and let it air dry. It heals so much quicker and I rarely have problems with scars. 😊
The method you describe is what my dermatologist has told me to do, but I've noticed as an adult that if I don't give the wound time to "air out" like you say, the skin seems to take significantly longer to heal. I've never even heard anyone say to "air it out," it's just from my own experience that it tends to heal faster. The past several times I've had biopsies, when I keep the wound clean and covered with ointment and bandages, the skin just does not close up (like after a week+ the skin is still an open wound). It's only once I give it some time without a bandage that it finally scabs over and heals. In addition, the constant changing of bandages irritates my skin pretty badly, with the adhesive pulling at my skin. So, if we ARE supposed to keep the wound moist and covered, how long is it supposed to take before it heals? Two weeks? Even longer?
I was going to say the same! I stopped covering it because I noticed it heals faster if I don't do anything, if I do apply ointment/bandaid, the wound stays open for way longer.
Might be that the dermatologist is focusing on what creates the least scarring rather than what heals the quickest? i know i personally have never cared about whether a wound scars or not -- in fact, I would kind of find it weird if it didn't, like where's the evidence of this thing that happened to me? -- but in my experience a bandage during the day (to protect from irritation) and airing it out at night (to not let it stew in the wetness all the time) makes the most sense for minor scrapes.
@@alissa6380 depending on how bad the cut is, I will keep it covered for 24-48 hrs, then after that do the bandaid during the day, air it out at night thing. It's actually what my mom taught me, and it has worked well. The times that I did try to keep it covered constantly, it just wouldn't really heal up. So I've always gone back to what my mom taught me
Hello! I've worked in an athletic care setting for 3 years and am currently in medical school so heres some tips for wound care: Wash with soap and water Do NOT bandage unless the wound is actively bleeding. Moisture and bangdages will trap harmful bacteria close to the skin. This is how you get infections. If skin is excessively dry then vasaline is fine, but always let wounds air dry overnight when possible. Neosporin is not necessary. If you're looking for a topical antibacterial, i would recommend Bactine spray, thats what we used for everything in the office. As far as minimuzing scarring, thats not my area of expertice so she may be right, but i dont think her method is worth the risk of infection and prolonging having an open wound. Hope this helps!
Exactly. I was a nurse. Giving advice like this isn't very professional. Every situation isn't the same. People shouldn't be taking advice from a random you tuber anyway. Hopefully no one takes it too seriously.
This does the opposite for me but I have velvet skin so maybe why. Covering up a wound just makes it wet, covered in pus no matter how well it's cleaned and it just doesn't heal. I still have a scar on my knee over a decade old from doing this.
@@seajelly2421 No maybe I'll give it a try. It's just that my skin is thin, soft and velvety so anything sticky leaves bruises or gets the area really moist which causes infection which is why I prefer to dry my wounds
@@ROYALRAT123 :( I understand. I've got classical type EDS, so I have similar issues. With the hydrocolloids, you can just leave it on until the skin grows enough that the bandage falls off on its own (unless there are signs of infection). No ointments, though. The direct contact on the skin allows a certain amount of absorption so that the wound stays not too wet and not too dry. It's basically like a scab, but better (the wound won't form a scab).
What could I do about years and years of melatilomania without treatment. From approximately 4 years old till now 46 years old. Old scares suggestions. What could I do to help as fast as possible due to my inability to ignore it? Any direction to a good website I really need to address this.
Girl. Cant make me believe that. Past year, ive SLICED my knee OPEN on not 1 but 2 RUSTY huge, peices of metal. I'm talking I SHOULDA HAD STITCHES. no ointment. Just some peroxide to clean the wound. Hey. We good over here! ❤
I’ve used crazy glue to close up my cuts. It works beautifully. No infections, and fast healing. Idk wtf she’s talking about rewashing every day. It really concerns me how everyone can get on social media and “give advice” under “I’m a professional”.
Your wounds need some moisture to heal well. Drying them out delays healing and increases risk of infection. While it is true that excessive drainage can harbor bacteria, as long as you are managing that exudate appropriately, and cleaning the wound, the moist healing route is always recommended.
Personally I like hydrocolloid bandages. It keeps dirt from getting into it helps wick away moisture but keep the wound bed from drying out, and It has antimicrobial properties. It's made with pectin! You just can't get them wet at all.
Holy Moly! Thank you! Some of the info I actually did know, however I do come from the generation that heard things like, “rub some dirt on it!” So, the not letting it air out bit was helpful! From the clumsy one, who also tends to scar easily!;)
Take care of your wounds, but don’t let visuals define you. So many people are insecure about their scars, but scars are beautiful they tell your story and what has shaped you. Scars hold memories, lessons, and your journey. My scars: -I have large (2-3”) scar on my forearm. My cat was being himself. If the scar still exists in 20+ years it will serve as a reminder of our adventures together from him showing up on the porch to him booping me to him attacking feet to him growing up and becoming cuddly. -a large (2-3”) scar on my shin. It serves as a reminder about my grandpa.. and to eat my fruits and vegetables (gotta get that vitamin c). I got it from a scallop that swam away while I was too close. -a tiny (.25”) round scar on either knee with 2 smaller round scars around it. A reminder to be careful of the paths I take and to not be overly confident -a small (.5”) curved scar on my index finger. A reminder that no matter how good at something I am to always be careful and to do it right -a large (3”) scar and indent along my hairline. A memory of how childhood feels and the happiness I am capable of feeling. And a reminder that no matter how dark things seem it hasn’t always felt this way and it won’t always feel like this.
Pure honey (like Sidr, medicinal grade-never the cheap, sugary squeezy bear junk) also helps it heal fast and small. Important addition, if you have very slow wound healing (like with Ehlers-Danlos), don't change the bandage too frequently! Use waterproof bandages and keep it for 3 days (if you can keep it completely dry, a week!)
People are saying wounds heal slower using the originally described method. I find about 3-5 weeks quite a long time myself, and some people are reporting a 7x increase. I don't want to be bandaged up for half a year 😂 🦓
Neosporin, or Polysporin as we call it here in Canada, is an absolute must for anyone prone to infection though. I learned the hard way what happens when you are infection prone and use plain ointment instead medicated.
Neosporin and polysporin are similar but different. Neosporin is a triple antibiotic meaning it has 3 antibiotic ingredients. Polysporin only has two and abiotic ingredients. That said the third antibiotic in Neosporin is known to frequently cause allergic reactions and can make skin itchy, red, scaley which kinda defeats the purpose of the ointment.. so polysporin is better to use. Or the generic store brand version of it is just as good and cheaper. No sense breaking the bank over a booboo
@@wastingjam4133 Interesting, because my Polysporin has 3 antibiotics, and an antibacterial with pain relief effects. Polymyxin B Sulfate, Bacitracin Zinc, Gramicidin, and Lidocaine to be exact. Despite having extremely sensitive skin it’s never caused skin irritations for me, but that might be why they also add vitamin E to the ointment, I’m guessing that’s what combats any potential skin irritation. Edit: Also yes, I tend to go for the store brand for most medical stuff as long as the ingredients are identical, which in most cases they are.
Not to be that guy, but do you have any advice for people with high sensitivities? I'm autistic, and even smal cuts and scrapes hurt like the devil sometimes. I'd like to know if there's any alternative other than just "grin and bear it" please, thank you! /gen
When I cover a scrape or cut, it gets all soggy and oozy, yellow and gross so I wash if and let air get to it and it scabs faster. Maybe a deeper wound to not get infected. No scars here. We put honey on bad burns too. Healed fast.
I disagree. My mother has a horrible scar because she did this under the advice of one doctor. It never healed until another doctor told her that it needed to dry. Also, I had a mini experiment on myself when I was a kid. I got a long cut on my calf and they only had bandaids for half of it. The half that was exposed was already healing while the one that was covered was still raw. In the end, the one that was left to "dry out" faded to nothing, while the other half left a scar.
After 24 hrs ointment can be useful without a bandage until swelling or itching goes down and then dry out (don't pick unless it's falling of or getting caught and then you trim it)
Neosporin use (when unnecessary) can lead to antibiotics resistance as well! Vaseline has saved me from so many scars lol. A+D works wonders for surface burns and scabs from cuts and scrapes, too.
Petroleum jelly is literally so useful I always have it with me wherever I go ! It can seal in moisture which not only helps me with my dry lips (I literally used to bleed every day), it can also help with some pimples ! Like overnight, there are instant results on some pimples (obviously not perfect, but noticeable!) and also ofc wound healing
It depends on the depth of the wound. If you apply petrolatum based ointment to scabs covering deeper wounds the scab will constantly soften, allowing exudate to escape, and the ointment holds that exudate next to the skin, macerating the surrounding skin and really delaying wound healing. In those instances, a dry dressing is far preferable, allows the scab to do its job and absorbs any exudate. Better would be a zinc based ointment that promotes healing and wicks out escaping exudate onto the dry dressing. Zinc based ointments also work great for more shallow scabs, keeps a good moisture balance while protecting. Any deeper and it may need sutures or packing. Wound care is highly variable to the type of wound and also may change as the wound heals.
My great grandma always put 100% pure natural honey on our cleaned wounds to help with the healing and the scarring. I have never had a scar from a cut my whole life because of her!
Honey is surprisingly good for wounds! I have a skin condition that causes me to have anywhere from 1-20 open wounds on my body at any given time and I use medical grade manuka honey on my wounds and it really helps. There are so many studies on the role of honey in wound care. For the average person, regular honey is fine but I prefer to use medical grade since I'm dealing with larger wounds that are more likely to get infected.
Yeah I recently started using manuka honey on wounds and it helped so much! Had an (accidental) dog bite on my index finger, right at the a joint, and it was so swollen in the beginning! So after a while I started using manuka honey and cover it with a bandaid and I could almost watch the swelling go down in real time! 🤯 Within two hours of the first time I applied it the swelling had gone down to the point where I had to change bandaids because the one I had originally put on, quite tightly, was now too loose! Because it's right on the joint I keep irritating it so the swelling would come back a couple of times, and I noticed the same thing every time. So impressed!
I used to just put a bandage on, mainly on the first to second day, growing up. (So many scars are on my body!) Now finally in my 20s, all these dermatologists videos I watch have the steps burned in my head. Soap, Water, Barrier Ointment, Bandage, Repeat.
I put on a bandage on until it stops bleeding. Then I let it “air out”. Otherwise it never seems to properly form a scab and heal. Occasionally I might use some antibiotic cream under the bandage. But this is for a very short period of time. Covering it is ONLY to stop bleeding. Doesn’t your skin need to breathe?
I’ve been wondering the same thing! Like you couldn’t wait to hit record until AFTER you finished chewing? 😂 I think it’s a trend for people to pretend like you just caught them in the middle of a snack or something
If I did this my wound would never heal, I only put a bandage for the first day or until (if it's a bit bigger) I felt it was ready to 'air out'. An example is when I had scraped my shin really bad ( was running on the line curb like most civilized adults do) the scrape was rough and was at least 7 inches long and maybe 3 inches wide (width of the curb) and the first day I cleaned, ointment, and then bandage. Next day I decided to let it air while I was home , kept my leg out while I was sleeping and it took I think about half a week to see the skin healing. Almost 4 years later and there's no scar.
Do you have a solution to the adhesives in bandaides toxicity? I have a few folks who don’t use bandaides because of the toxin and forever chemicals in them. 🙏🏾🤙🏾
When I burned my face while waxing, I used Paw Paw's ointment! Let me tell you! That stuff works well for any kind of healing. Pimples, mosquito bites, any type of lacerations. Ointments help keep the skin moisturized and won't let the skin dry out which leads to a scab. It will keep a light pink tint on the skin which is good like Dr said. ❤ Hope this helps someone. ❤
You're right and I imagine this method is to avoid "scarring" ... people are afraid of having scars on their skin because it's apparently not aesthetically pleasing ... but each to their own & I suppose location dependant!
Would you put medicated ointment if it’s from an animal? Like we have cats with diseases and when they bite or scratch (love bites and scratches) will medicated help prevent worms, infections, disease, virus, rabies
Retired ER doc here. Topics I’d like to see: (1) accelerating wound healing (it can be done) (2) common things people do to delay healing. One of them: I worked in a busy, high-acuity emergency department but took dietary histories whenever I could. In doing that, I was astounded by the abysmal nutrition most people consume - nowhere near optimal for healing.
Yeh this bugs me too. I wonder if it’s an attempt at feigning casual like it wasn’t set up? Speaking with your mouth full is worse than not knowing this specific protocol for minor wound care.
I hate when girls do this with putting on their makeup too, like just talk to me and get the point across, don't sit there showing me how you apply your false mask and act all casual. I think they want us to feel like we're in the room with them sitting across the table as if this is just what naturally comes up in their day to day conversation, but once you see it, you cannot unsee it, it's deceptive and annoying, I stop listening as soon as I notice.
Well, they do get a reaction out of us, don't they? Our engagement, even if it does not apply to the topic of the video, profits the creators. It is just another annoying strategy used to make us comment and like the comments agreeing that the eating and/or the application of make-up (which this creator also does in other flicks) are not acceptable. 😒
Great video! For the longest time I didn't even take care of cuts in my skin, even now all I did was wash the cut with soap and water and just left it alone so it would heal on its own. Thanks for the info doc!
I work in a kitchen. Whenever i get cuts I put bandage only when I'm cooking because I don't want to be in contact with salt on acid (ouch!) . But my hands get wet a lot, and i don't like wearing wet bandage. So unless i'm cooking, i prefer airing my wound out
I hope you're wearing gloves over that bandaid or cut, otherwise you're risking giving your guests food poisoning. In my country it's not allowed to cook for others with a cut on your hands if there's any chance it can come in contact with the food.
@@ixagonczi Different countries have different laws. In mine, you need a bandaid as well as gloves (which is to be exchanged as you shift to a new task) if you have a cut on your hand. Otherwise you are not permitted to prepare food for other people in a restaurant or the like.
Nope nope nope. In my personal experience (emphasis on personal so no hate please) covering fresh wounds with bandaids makes them weepy and delays healing. Especially with scrapes, god bandaids hurt really bad for some reason. Vaseline is good but letting in air out really seems to help. And well since I am the clumsiest person ever and have a new wound every week, this has worked very well for me
Agree. Never letting it air out would make the skin weak and damaged. I would say every cut is different. Size, type, and placement all make a difference in how you treat it. A cut on my upper arm is going to be treated differently than my foot. And one on my finger is treated differently than both of those. Scraping the skin vs cutting the skin also makes a difference in how you treat it. Depth makes a difference Great she’s a dermatologist but she’s exactly the kind of dr I hate seeing. They tell you to do stupid crap because a book told them so.
As the other person said basic first aid is no longer in the curriculum, if you want to be able to pass on this advice and actually have people listen tell them to go take a Red Cross first aid course or tell him to get in girl scouts though I cannot guarantee the second method is foolproof
... "And the viewers will engage with the video when they feel disturbed by me eating. They will feel more compelled to comment on it rather on than the actual topic of the video. And this way I will profit from their negative emotions. "
55 and airing out heals it fastest for me. I'm dont care about thd scar, i just need it healed up fast, which it does, especially if it gets alot of sunlight and air. I dump hydrogen peroxide on them too. Yukky bandaids ..
The longest healing cuts I've gotten are ones i do what this Dr. just said to do. On top of that, they generally stay "pink" for months after finally closing. Whenever i let them air out, they generally heal quickly. Now, the only cuts i bandage are ones i need stitches for but dont want to get stitched, or ones that are in a bad spot that i use all the time, ie fingers, palm or waistline. Everyone heals a little different though
My mother did the same-waved her hand/knife round while talking with me-and actually stabbed me when she handed me a piece of apple. It was just a small puncture wound...but the threat is real! 😂
Dont use Neosporin unless you have a Specific reason to worry about infection. Anti-Biotic resistance is a growing problem all over the world, and tossing Neosporin on everything is what makes it worse.
thank you Doc. just sharing this. 3rd wk of Dec 2023, I had an accident that left a huge deep open wound on my left eye just around 1-2mm from my eyebrow. It kept bleeding but I was alone and cannot go to hospital so I washed it with water and unscented (no fragrance) soap. did not pat dry. I applied pressure on it with a clean cotton cloth until the wound stopped bleeding. then I checked my stash of meds. I have no anti inflammatory oral meds but i have some excess anti inflammatory ointments. I thought of using them but I decided not to since I haven’t have myself checked. I reached for my petroleum jelly (unscented/fragrance free) and applied a liberal amount to cover the wound. I did not put the jelly inside the wound, just on top of it to cover it and avoid any foreign particles to enter it. then I ate blueberries, then yogurt with frozen blueberries. I avoided chicken and fish until the 3rd day. within 24hrs, my left eye brow area is inflamed and red. I washed it twice a day, applied petroleum jelly. did not apply my skincare on my face to avoid contact with the wound. after 4days, the wound closed completely but I can still feel “inside” that it hurts. I continued eating blueberries and increased my dosage of vit c to 1000mg. drank more than 8glasses of water. ate whatever I fancy. a week and a half later, the wound left a scar but no more pain inside. now, the scar is not there anymore after going back in applying my usual skincare. I was told that the wound could have required 7-8 stitches. yep, that long and it is deep. but petroleum jelly and power of bluebrries’ anti oxidants helped to alleviate the inflammation. vit c helped in quick healing process.
my dad once redid our wooden floors with one of those heavy grinding machines and the genius he was he was wearing sandals and ran the machine over one of his feet and you could see some gruesome white-ish stuff you weren't supposed to see and yet he was still like "imma just air it out" and i was like "like hell you're not" 💀
When would you say it's appropriate to use neosporin? Only in the case when the cut or scrape is infected? Is there an appropriate prophylactic use for it?
I've never gotten the "air out" thing?? Like how does that not HURT y'all, it's so much more comfortable to be bandage cuts and scrapes with a bit of ointment.
I don't know if it's a sensory thing but I have a fairly high pain tolerance so the "air out" method doesn't really bother me. What does bother me is constantly feeling the tug of a bandaid or conversely the tiny loose flap of a bandaid just flapping all around until I have a chance to replace it.
Because it forms a hard scab, which is like a natural hard plaster. When you put a Band-Aid on it stays a soft wound and when you change it and the wound separates a bit it’s a really unpleasant feeling.
Because wounds are supposed to naturally scab over! The scabs are hard and they protect the wound. The wounds covered by bandages always get mushy and take forever to heal. Airing out makes them dry faster. But I guess people are more concerned with aesthetics rather than health
This is really helpful. I found out applying Vaseline and similar products on small cuts and scrapes helps them heal faster by accident (pun intenede) after cleaning and drying them as I have a habit of tearing up my lips and their skins since I was a child (probably due to unknown stress factors as I score high in neuroticism). I did still let these small wounds air out especially if the cuts or scrapes are on my hands which constantly get wets by washing and doing chores and if the cuts aren't too deep (as in they stop bleeding after a few hours or a day). If they are deep enough or are still fresh, I did what recommended in this short. I got lots of scrapes, scratches and cuts as a child but barely ever got any scars and the one I did remember is barely noticeable, probably thanks to knowing how to properly first aid them thanks to my mom. This helps a lot when I adopt my cats later on. I was baffled when I later came across posts of people having terribly deep scars on their hands using glue guns for their craft projects and realized that they didn't know how to first aid a burn at all. I got several accident glue gun burns but never let it got that worse and have no scars whatsoever. Apparently most just leave the glue cool down on its own while enduring the pain, letting the hot glue deepen the burn instead of running to the nearest sink to rinse it to cool it off immediately to peel it out, minimizing the effect. Also, reading all the infographics and first aid procedures on the walls of school infirmary, clinics and hospitals is totally worth the time and efforts, just in case.
Thank you. Letting it dry is the general advice I got everywhere ( scraped knees on kids are very common). I thought the wound needed air and shouldn't be covered.
Bandaids, for me, are for deep cuts, not scratches or scrapes. Soap and water, Uncovered and little to no medication and I’m healed in a couple days at most.
Actual dermatology content that makes sense 😂 thanks for sharing non cosmetic real life skin issues
Yes people...humans... are born with ointment and band aid.
@@paulwootton5378ah yes you’d prefer we just rub some dirt in it like the cavemen would have huh?
@@paulwootton5378and who claimed we are? modern medicine is blessing not a curse
@@paulwootton5378huh...? What do you even mean? They say "real life" as in this is actually useful for daily things. Scraping your knee is something that can happen and it's good to know what to do. It's not unrealistic to have some ointments or at least a bandaid at home
How is this non cosmetic
I love how every medical professional gives me a different answer to this
😩
This is the right answer…
@@miclovesarthey, firstly I'm sorry that you're experiencing this on such a level :(
And secondly I wanted to ask how you take care of cuts that probably should be stitched but you can't or don't want to get stitches..
Because I always let my cuts air out except for this one time where I put antiseptic creme and a bandaid on it. And that was the only time ever that a cut got infected so I never did it again. Air out was the way to go for me..
That's because they don't all have the same area of expertise. Listen to the derms on this one!
@@jfm14 it depends on how deep the cut is. I understand this short for only very little accidents when the skin is only scraped little, not a deep cut.
As a person with cats I know it is important to *always* desinfect the wound if a cat scratched your skin. If they bite you you should visit a doctor because cats can have very dirty tooth and their tooths are thin and very pointed, so bacteria can go deep into your skin and as soon as the tooth is out of the wound the skin closes over it, perfect for bacteria growth. If it goes into your blood you can become septic.
Also it depends on where you was while hurting yourself. In garden you can have tetanus in the flower earth, in horse stables too. So it can be important to know how long ago your last tetanus vaccination was.
I treated wounds like this as a kid (because I loved bandaids) but as an adult I stuck to the “air it out” mentality. Ughhh
Which one has worked better for you?
@@Ba-Dum-Tssss I think covering up as been better because I had scars from the wounds I “let air out”
@@Ba-Dum-Tssssin my experience, letting them scab over (which doesn't really easily happen when they're moist and covered) makes them heal faster. I really dgaf about scars
@@TheOwlQueen I’ve had the same experience! Whenever I seal a wound under a bandaid it take wayyy longer to scab and heal. Yeah, airing out may scar it a bit, but it’ll fade over time
@@TheOwlQueen yeah lmao like I get these kind of videos/comments but if you don't really dive a damn about scars. It doesn't really matter. I actually like scars lmao obviously not healthy either but what the hell lmao
I am now 52 years old, and have taken the advice of many people over the years and trust me, every one gives different advice... i have had hundreds of cuts and scrapes in my life, and i can WITHOUT A DOUBT say that cuts on my body heal uncovered in 1-2 days tops.. cuts on my body covered with ointment applied can take up to 2 weeks..!!! So NO i will continue my own way thank you very much..
I use brake clean because im retarded, it does help me find all the other lil cuts and metal shavings in my hands so theres that
Same, i usually don't even clean them. My hands, arms, and feet (I'm barefoot as much as possible) are covered in scares from cuts and burns, and i never use ointment or bandages. If they ever get infected, which is rare, I just squeeze it out once or twice and it heals up.
@@jc-rq8or exactly right..!!
@@king21w48 🤣
Yeah, the first time I heard the "cover it" method I tried it & the wound took longer to heal by far. Tried it again a few years later & same thing. In between, I had done the "let it dry" method & everything healed well with minimal to no scarring. Probably not going to try the "cover it" method again unless it's a really deep cut more prone to infection.
You actually heal from the inside outward. The scab just prevents bleeding and acts like a barrier. The Vaseline or oil based product does the same thing, but it keeps things moist, preventing scar tissue. I use a silver gel because silver is antibacterial.
No. You actually heal from the outside in. Tattoo research can back this up. The outer layer heals first to prevent things from getting inside, and then, depending on how deep the trauma to the skin is, it takes 6 months to a year to fully heal the inner layers, as well.
I remember reading that Medieval doctors figured out that leaving wounds open, instead of closing them up straight away, led to better healing and less deaths from wounds! Admittedly, these weren't just 'scrapes' but were often deep wounds caused by swords etc. But if the wounds were closed too quickly, and pus that formed inside could not escape, and the patient got blood poisoning and died. If the wound was loosely covered with bandages which were changed frequently, before the wound was sewn up, the healing was much quicker. Apparently, these early doctors experimented with wounds on bears before translating this knowledge into treatment for humans. I suppose also that covering a cut/scrape or not might depend on the area of that cut/scrape. I'd be more likely to cover a large scrape, mainly to keep it clean and stop clothing etc from rubbing on it, potentially making it inflamed.
Hopefully you can heal the inside before the outer wound seals up. After a major surgery the large abdominal site looked to be healing up nicely. Until it geysered infection and liquefied fat. I had to spend the next couple of weeks using sterile long q-tips to reopen the wound until the inside healed first.
DIY liposuction as well. LOL
Why are y'all getting scars from regular cuts and scrapes? Sounds like an connective tissue thing lol.
Couldn't agree more. Nano silver gel is the G.O.A.T. Heals really fast with little of no scarring. Too bad I can't upload a picture. I had a bad crash on my road bike where I landed on my elbow on cement at about 20mph. It vaporized the skin and meat to the point I had a silver dollar sized hole where you could see the bone. In 3 weeks in healed with virtually no scarring. Just a little bump on my elbow to remind me.
As someone who works for a dermatologist, our dermatologist recommends clean it, apply a thin layer of Vaseline, but then keep it UNCOVERED. The bandage should only be put on/kept in during the first 24 hours to help with bleeding. Once it stops bleeding, we tell patients to keep it uncovered. We notice far more incidents of infection with people when they keep a wound bandaged. It really does heal better if you let it get a bit of air to it. The moist, damp environment under a bandage is perfect for bacteria. Vaseline does a good enough job to help with wound healing but keep it uncovered.
It keeps the area too moist with bandaids.
I would think the location would also matter - if it’s in a place where you are likely to rub off the Vaseline pretty much immediately, it makes sense to keep it covered. Like if I have a cut on my hand, between just using my hands and washing them, an uncovered wound has a high likelihood of being re-opened.
It doesn't seem like she knows how to care for scrapes or cuts either. We all know putting a band-aid on a fresh scrape/ cut keeps it too moist making that baby last for several days. I'm a more of a, "let it air out" kinda gal
💯💯💯
kept a bandaid on a large excision area for a week. it was the fastest healing injury i’ve ever had and left almost no scar. it doesn’t increase infection as long as you clean it regularly and change the bandage. a doctor should know that
I treat cuts like I treat tattoos because thats pretty much what a tattoo is. I keep it covered the first 24hrs, and then I leave it uncovered until it heals.
I was just thinking about that
Yeah I was thinking this plus I'm confused bc I've always been advised not to put vaseline on and just moisturiser
@@Demitria4Ointments seal out dust, dirt, etc, that could get under the bandaid and on/into the wound.
Yes!! This is what I subconsciously do because I just find it so uncomfortable to just keep covering it after I feel like I don’t really need to!! Also all my scars pretty much fade and it might be because of this of maybe just my genes, I dunno
Nowadays many tattoo artists will give you a second-skin bandage which you can leave on for 5 days. It’s basically the same idea: keeping the wound covered, and it prevents scabbing which reduces the chance of losing ink.
Not me thinking I was gonna hear how applying apples to wounds helped somehow 😅
Lmao it was apple distracting 😅
Me too lol
The way she was waving the knife around was traumatic to me 😂😅
@MS-we9lj and as she holds the knife, she says “and now, I will demonstrate” lol 😂
The Apple threw me off. I was sure you were going to tell me to somehow make a paste for my cut 😂😂
I skateboard, badly, and I fall a lot. All that road rash has shown me how amazing the bodies scabbing mechanism is! The injured skin will first express a clear liquid to lift away the dirt, then the scab forms a perfect seel. Bandaids are germy, and the increased moisture inhibits healing. I only use them if I'm bleeding, and worried about blood stains.
That scab is perfect, had it once when I had big scrap on my arm. It protected the wounded area so fast and didn't fall of until the skin healed. No scaring and I didn't have to do anything other than cleaning the wound with soap and water.
Bandaids are bad if its bleeding through it. As soon as you see blood at the top you need to change it as it is then a gateway for bacteria. But before that it protects the wound. Moisture does not delay healing, there is lots of scientific research on this. It increases the rate of healing by a lot unless done in a unhygeinic way. Air is cytotoxic (poison) to cells, cells that are responible for healing and building the skin can’t really move through the dry air.
My own experience is that covered cuts take longer to heal. Our bodies have a natural cover for cuts and I trust my body.
Only times I cover is
It's a big and weepy wound (like a nasty burn I had a while back)
If it's in a spot that is constantly knocked or otherwise irritated (like on a fingertip)
If I'm doing stuff that would get dirt in it ( like gardening)
I'm also not afraid of scars, they tell the story of what my body has survived and I actually quite like most of them 😂
did you ever to a head to head test where you covered one wound and did not cover the other to see how much longer one took? Because mine seem to heal more quickly with cleaning, Vaseline, and covering w bandage. 🤷🏻♀️ and the benefits of a lower infection risk and better scar appearance are what most people are going for.
Same here lol
@@stephanien6237 you get scar from a superficial scratches?
Personal experience taught me otherwise- I wound up with wicked road rash down my back and thigh. We cleaned the wounds out really well and applied Vaseline as suggested here. The wound on my back we kept covered, but the wound on my thigh we wound up letting air out since the bandages kept rubbing on my shorts and getting pulled off anyway. My thigh started looking much better in about 4 days, while my back refused to close up. After a week and a half, I put my foot down and 'let it air out.' It started to heal in 3 days of doing so.
Same thing happened to me. I scraped my knee though. I cleaned it and placed neosporine and bandaged it up every day for a week, sometimes 2x/day. It felt terrible walking and wouldn’t heal. Once I stopped the treatment and I allowed it to air out, it got better. What’s up with that?
@@schlierencombustI’m wondering if airing it out helps it heal quicker because it’s not being kept moist and covered ? Just gotta keep it clean which is hard for kids to do, hence the ointment and bandaids maybe …
Yeah, i let my stuff air out. Aint a big deal. Idk why a scrape should cost 20$ to fix. 🙄😂
How is the scar on both?
So this advice really applies to minor scrapes and cuts. If it's anything deeper than a moderate cut airing it out will help a scab form. Once the scab forms you can start keeping it bandaged with ointment on it to help the skin stay supple during healing.
When I cover wounds, they NEVER heal. Like days pass and I still have a massive open wound, and it starts to get infected. It actually used to be a problem when I worked in a restaurant and legally had to cover them. I find they heal way better when they're left uncovered (after stopping the bleeding of course).
😂😂😂 I am picturing you with an open wound working in a restaurant.
Also seems really really odd that your wounds only get infected when you cover them?
The important steps of cleaning very well with soap and water before putting the thin layer of plain Vaseline and then a bandage minimize infection risk compared with leaving the wound open. I wonder why it’s different for you 🤷🏻♀️
Covered wounds don’t scab, which means you have to keep them meticulously clean. They will heal faster and will probably not scar, but you have to take care of them well
Same
Check with your surgeon if you have surgery, though! Mine specifically asked me not to apply Aquaphor or Vaseline to my incisions after major surgery because they find it often creates more weeping and pus.
That's very different to a small cut or scrape. I don't think I've ever been instructed to cover a small wound (like when taking out an IV) with any type of ointment and I've been an RN for 13 years
Using Manuka honey and a waterproof bandaid is the best! Regular band aids can still allow the wound to “air out” underneath.
Me when I get a cut:
Time to get the superglue
I’m not even joking when I say a coworker came in the other day with her fingertip superglued down because she sliced it half off the day before
For every cut? That seems a bit extra. I only use super glue for cuts that would probably need stitches otherwise. Like the time I sliced the tip of my finger to the bone. 😅
@@n.b.3521I did NOT need this image
@@n.b.3521doesn't that prevent the skin from healing together? Since superglue takes forever just to come off the tips of your fingers I would imagine it sticks inside the wound even longer and prevents it from healing. No?
Better than stitches! And easy to do it yourself
Vaseline on cuts is old school, newer research from the last few years shows it can disrupt the body's own protective film. I would add that the vaseline technique is used in body modification, specifically scarification, to promote more visible scar tissue!
Quote from BBC article on the topic:
Prof Ariens said: "If you get a scrape or a cut it is best to let it clot for half an hour to let the film form. Do clean it of course if it needs it, but the clot will make its own perfect plaster. After that, it might not be so bad to add petroleum jelly, but before then, from our findings, it appears to damage this film."
Independent wound care advisor Jacqui Fletcher, who is also the clinical editor of the journal Wound UK, said: "You do see it used in sports. Boxing is a good example. If the fighter gets a cut they can use it to stop the blood running down the their face so that they can continue the fight.
"But that's about a quick fix rather than a suitable dressing."
She said, in terms of infection risk, a concern was using petroleum jelly that had been kept in the cupboard for a long time.
Petroleum jelly is awful all around. A decent alternative is coconut oil. From the baking aisle.
@@mickeyoshea2035100% - personally I would never but that on an open wound/scrape
Aside from not using Vaseline, or the generic petroleum jelly, make sure to wipe it down with rubbing alcohol.
Yes, it may sting a lot but rubbing alcohol ensures it kills off any remaining bacteria around the wound that wasn't removed by washing with soap. Health before beauty always.
@@_Just_Another_Guythat will 100% cause a scar. It also kills your good bacteria.
@@_Just_Another_Guyrubbing alcohol will also kill healthy cells and delay healing. If you have washed the area well enough with soap and water, applying anything else is not necessary.
Why do people insist on eating while telling a story for social media, i dont get it at all. Just eat it after
Just what I thought.. starts video... shoves apple in her mouth... awkward chewing/leaving apple in her cheek... then cut to the apple gone. I think she didn't think that one through 😂
I find it disgusting!!
To make it look like they’re just doing something normal and thought they’d share something on the spot lol
Yes, i find it odd too
I'm audhd with misophonia issues and while I ultimately appreciated the information, I know exactly 2 people I could send it to without the apple eating making them nope out immediately
@@nyxskids I have misophonia too, for ten years now so I understand how frustrating these videos are 😂
But hear me out, as a zookeeper everyone loves comparing scars 😂
😂
Awesome reply!😂
Same goes for mechanics and military personnel. Badge of honor (or stupidity depending on how you got it)...
@@kraziecatcladyconstruction too but almost definitely stupidity
Former vet tech here. Less exotic than zookeeper (although I did get to work on a tiger cub). Totally agree with you. Every scar tells a story... until you have enough that you forget which scar is which! Lol
This is 100 percent correct and accurate information. Thank you so much for sharing this message!!!!
ThankUu! So validating! I had this exact conversation and was met with disbelief
Tattoo artist here. Moist wound care is definitely great for small wounds. I would only add.. it really depends on the bandage someone uses and how big the wound is, if medicated ointment is “unnecessary”. Having some sort of antibacterial agent in the ointment is usually a good idea.
Thank you!! Pharmacist here and I prefer your take
I always use medical Honey Oitment. Lots of experience with wound care, open wounds and dirty wounds on humans and animals with immune disorders. 0 antibiotics needed in most cases. A dirty wound doesn’t need sterile gaze cause the wound itself isn’t sterile and has to heal from the inside/inside out. The tissue grows inside first and the outside of the skin must be kept open so debris can escape and the scar forming will be optimal. There are studies/papers on this topic, that explain why they changed the whole method from ‘oldschool scab forming treatment’, to ‘the keeping it moist so no scab will form treatment’. Even the difference in aftercare in tattoo shops in my experience. When I got my first tattoo long time ago, there was minimal aftercare. They just wrapped a foil on top, after some disinfection spray and after a few hours the foil came off and that’s it.
Science never stands still but not many people are up to date, not even health care workers or the organization that writes their guidelines! There are differences in guidelines between different countries too, with some things they just seem to adapt the new research like a turtle.😴
She’s talking about cuts and scrapes which are small wounds
25% of the population is allergic to or develops irritation to antibiotic ointments. Hence, Vaseline or Aquaphor.
I'm a nurse, I do a lot of wound care, and yes different doctors have different opinions, but the trend is going away from antibiotic ointments, to plain petrolatum. But use a new "clean" jar/tube dedicated for your wound care.
This was the advice I got from my dermatologist, I followed it religiously, and still got the most gnarly scar from a routine mole removal. It did not work AT ALL and on top of that, the bandaids I continued to apply made a horrible rash and scar (latex free)
@@Empathy-and-resilience ugh I'm so sorry! 😑 I'm still trying to find a bandaid that won't give me a rash. I don't remember them doing that when I was a kid
Yeah don't believe everyone that makes a video on you tube. She's no correct. It may be ok depending on the wound but you can't just tell people something like that blindly without seeing the wound
This is what happens to me when I continue to use bandaids for over 24 hrs. I had a worse scar from the bandaids than from the small cut I had treated underneath. Whenever I try this method, something goes wrong. The cut or scrap gets infected because it's too moist, or the bandaids cause worse irritation.
I get a reaction from the sticky party of the bandage too, so I try not to leave a bandaid on to long. If it is still bleeding a lot, I will put gauze on and strap with a clean cloth, so I don't have a bandaid rash. If come the covering once it stops bleeding.
@@Mt4evr You might be sensitive or allergic to adhesive. Try non-stick gauze pads and coban. Coban is latex-free and adhesive free. It sticks to itself kind of like the same idea as velcro. Brand name is somewhat expensive but you can buy off name for a good price!
Except the one time I did this (exactly as she described) the wound got infected, and when I went to the doctor he told me it was because I didn't let the wound area "dry out" or "air out". I had to wear skirts for two weeks while putting on antibacterial cream so it could "air it out" per doctors orders. I now have the worst scar I have ever had because of this incident.
See this is why i, a person who gets a lot of dirty injuries, actually disagree that antibiotic ointment isn't necessary. In short--why NOT add an antibiotic to the mix? You're still doing as suggestion, the base of many (most??) ointments including antibiotic is petroleum jelly. As someone else said though, you really shouldn't keep it covered too long! But i have more to add!!
This is purely from personal experience. My family has a bunch of home remedies that also have medical research to back them up. But i also have 30 years of getting hurt while out in the literal swamp, I've been scratched by feral cats and bitten by random snakes and lizards and bugs, I've had a cat put all four paws and his teeth into my arm at once!!!! I've had a lot of dirty injuries!!!! Plus all the family lore of basically old wives' tales but fact checked. So, I'm not an expert, do your own research, but for what it's worth
What i do is rinse it out as fast as possible with clean water. If you're by the beach salt water can help but only if there's no toxic outbreaks nearby always check water quality where you are!!!!
Rinse it out really freaking well. I don't actually use soap usually because in my head that's further contaminants but i DO use soap if it's literally got Dirt on it. If it's a cat scratch my nose priority is getting antibiotic ointment on it. At that point i do cover it up, but only for like, 12 hours tops--just to make sure that ointment stays on. Tbh usually because of the ointment it comes off within a couple hours, but I'll either go to sleep and 90% of the time it comes off in the night, or else after 4 hrs or so, I'll check on it. If it's not bleeding freely and the ointment has soaked in some, I'll just pull it off. I always rub ointment off if i don't cover it, the bandaid is just me proofing 😂
Anyway so after that just air it out, no more bandages. Let it scab over, but keep an eye on it!!! If it gets puffy, really red, and/or warm to the touch, it's fighting an infecting. Put more antibiotic ointment on it. If the heat/swelling spreads, or if it gets really hot, if you develop a fever over 100F, go to the doctor, they'll give you some antibiotics to clear you up. Always keep a close eye on wounds!!!
But if it doesn't worsen, then give it like 2-3 days to go away, adding antibiotic ointment to it regularly. Try to keep the area clean!!! Always keep wounds clean!!! Usually it takes like 36 hours top to get over it, just keep adding small amounts of antibiotic ointment to it whenever it's dry. You still want it to air out a little, it helps the platelets!!! You want your skin keeping a seal on it but you also want it soft enough that the antibiotic in the ointment can get into there. Sometimes the scan keeps the antibiotics out so like--keep it soft!!! You can like gently rub it with the ointment on it to break up the scab a little? It sounds gross sorry but the antibiotic can't work if it can't reach the infection that's why for a serious infection you gotta go to the doc!!! Cuts can be serious!!!
I have not gone to the doctor for a cut uhh...ever though, this is pretty much my mum's method but a little streamlined.
Note this is for relatively minor cuts. And uh okay here's how to tell if you have to go to the doc:
If the fresh blood is purple or like really dark, that's arterial. Call 911, tell them you're bleeding people, let them talk you through it.
If you can see white? Hospital, now.
If *anything* on you swells to golfball size or larger, hospital, now. That's probably a really bad infection or a clot. Fun fact I've had both! Never from scratches though!!
As for scars, I've got a few! But honestly? Not many, and they're pretty hard to see. Which is ironic because like, i don't mind scars! I'm pretty proud of mine, actually! But i can't even find most of them, including some pretty recent and decently bad ones!!!!
Sorry, as you might have guessed i an in fact high but this is real info i swear😅
So tldr
Thoroughly rinse the cut with Cian water. Apply antibiotic ointment fairly generously and add a bandage/covering to keep the ointment on for 4-12 hours. Remove bandage and let dry out. With clean hands, once it starts to scab over, gently touch it occasionally. If it starts bleeding again, if three scab feels very hard and dry and stiff, if the area around it feels dry or flakey, if it feels noticeably warm to the touch, apply antibiotic ointment. If it gets dirty, rinse thoroughly with clean water, apply antibiotic ointment. If it swells significantly, if it's very hot to the touch, if you get a fever over 100F, go to the doctor for antibiotics. Take all antibiotics as instructed. Keep applying antibiotic regularly any time the scab feels hard, dry, etc etc, until it's no longer a scab and is just nice soft skin. Keep applying semi regularly until it goes away if you really want it to go away. It might never fully fade but eventually it'll be unnoticeable.
And if you ever bleeds purple, call emergency services immediately.
Good luck out there fam!!! Hope this helps!!!!!!
she said this was small cuts and scrapes, sounds like what you had was far more than that 😅😅
@cozycasasmr4510 Nope. I scraped my knee, and while it was a pretty bad scrape, it was still just a scrape. Nothing too deep. Only a small amount of blood. Maybe half an inch by 1.5 inches in size. I find as long as I wash out my cuts and scrapes thoroughly, I usually heal just fine. I only cover (without ointment) if the area is still actively bleeding. But I am aware that the method described is supposed to be the best way, hence why I tried it this one time. Unfortunately it just didn't work out for me.
SAME
@cozycasasmr4510 even a tiny papercut can become infected and you can lose a finger or hand! No matter how small, you should always treat cuts asap, and keep an eye on them whilst they heal. This is especially important if your immune system is compromised, but anyone can get a bad infection!
Replace the ointment with saline solution, and then I'm with you. As another commenter stated, there are issues with products like vaseline and germaline.
as a chef, I can tell you most people don't know how to use a knife, curl your fingertips back, press your finger tips into the food, and slide the knife down along your fingers, while pushing forward. Hold the knife with three fingers gripping the handle pinch the blade between your thumb and finger. it stops the food from moving, stops the blade from twisting. prevents lots of ER visits for missing digits. and sharpen your knife, dull knives require a lot more force to use and make the whole thing more dangerous
Keeping a bandaid on for that long makes the skin around the wound get nasty, i only keep it covered with a bandaid if I'm worried it will get dirty or caught on things.
Only the plastic ones! Cotton ones breath so no nastiness there :)
Unless you're sweaty like me, then it doesn't matter whether it's fabric or not.
She said change it every 24 hours!
Yes! Definitely change Bandaids when they get wet!! For sure.
Change them when they get too wet. 24 hours is the minimum dressing change
My cuts and scrapes get gross and do not heal if I keep a bandaid on with ointment. As soon as I let it “air out” the body knows what to do and it starts healing up pretty fast… no noticeable scars.
I was told that keeping a wound covered, especially with a liquid like vaseline, actually prevents healing & creates a breeding ground for infection. If it's covered like that, how does it scab over & heal? The only time that I've done this is with wounds that needed to heal from the inside out (i.e. like when a boil bursts & a scab doesn't allow the fluid to drain)
Technically all wounds heal from the inside out. Scabs are formed mainly by platelets, which come from your blood. A moisture barrier such as vaseline can help protect and moisturize the newly exposed area, but it is important that the area is sterilized before application and covered after to prevent any unwanted bacteria getting into the wound.
Agreed.
Her method this inexperienced lady learned in school, that's fine if it's a deep cut and treat with merthiolate before covering. But a scrape? A scrape will heal faster if you alcohol it down after washing clean and before Vaseline. Keep it from contacting and allow it air circulation, reapply alcohol and Vaseline at least twice a day and rewash first any time it gets soiled. Heals in a couple-three days with kids.
She's talking about scar prevention.
@@jjp3515
A scrape doesn't leave a scar.
The scab is your body's way of making a moist, clean environment for the wound to heal. But when there's a big scab it can make more scar tissue. By washing it out (with or without soap) and then covering it with ointment and a bandage it creates a moist clean environment for the wound to heal, without having to spend time and space to make a scab.
This is true. In dealing with multiple skin cancer removals, I tested the theory. Let one dry out and treated the others as she stated, clean, Vaseline and bandaged. The one I let dry out took much longer to heal than the one I kept moist. This worked for the minor ones as well as the ones that required stitches. Also, stitch removal on the ones kept moist was super easy -they slid right out, compared to the ones I didn’t do as good a job keeping moist. The stitches stuck to the would and hurt when pulled out. TRUST ME!! After more skin cancer removals than I can count, moist is best!!
Doctors have found that using antibacterial ointment is really not helpful to the healing of the wound and can cause bacterial resistance.. As long as you wash it out with soap and water and dry it, all you need is to apply a light coat of Vaseline and keep it bandaged only as long as it takes to stop the bleeding. After that, apply a light coat of Vaseline and let it air dry.
It heals so much quicker and I rarely have problems with scars. 😊
The method you describe is what my dermatologist has told me to do, but I've noticed as an adult that if I don't give the wound time to "air out" like you say, the skin seems to take significantly longer to heal. I've never even heard anyone say to "air it out," it's just from my own experience that it tends to heal faster. The past several times I've had biopsies, when I keep the wound clean and covered with ointment and bandages, the skin just does not close up (like after a week+ the skin is still an open wound). It's only once I give it some time without a bandage that it finally scabs over and heals. In addition, the constant changing of bandages irritates my skin pretty badly, with the adhesive pulling at my skin. So, if we ARE supposed to keep the wound moist and covered, how long is it supposed to take before it heals? Two weeks? Even longer?
I was going to say the same! I stopped covering it because I noticed it heals faster if I don't do anything, if I do apply ointment/bandaid, the wound stays open for way longer.
Might be that the dermatologist is focusing on what creates the least scarring rather than what heals the quickest? i know i personally have never cared about whether a wound scars or not -- in fact, I would kind of find it weird if it didn't, like where's the evidence of this thing that happened to me? -- but in my experience a bandage during the day (to protect from irritation) and airing it out at night (to not let it stew in the wetness all the time) makes the most sense for minor scrapes.
No I totally, the moisture keeps it raw and won’t scab? Still might make a wore scar but idc honestly I don’t want a raw wound forever
@@alissa6380 depending on how bad the cut is, I will keep it covered for 24-48 hrs, then after that do the bandaid during the day, air it out at night thing. It's actually what my mom taught me, and it has worked well. The times that I did try to keep it covered constantly, it just wouldn't really heal up. So I've always gone back to what my mom taught me
@@alissa6380This is what I normally do as well. 😊
Hello! I've worked in an athletic care setting for 3 years and am currently in medical school so heres some tips for wound care:
Wash with soap and water
Do NOT bandage unless the wound is actively bleeding. Moisture and bangdages will trap harmful bacteria close to the skin. This is how you get infections.
If skin is excessively dry then vasaline is fine, but always let wounds air dry overnight when possible.
Neosporin is not necessary. If you're looking for a topical antibacterial, i would recommend Bactine spray, thats what we used for everything in the office.
As far as minimuzing scarring, thats not my area of expertice so she may be right, but i dont think her method is worth the risk of infection and prolonging having an open wound.
Hope this helps!
💯 was gonna comment precisely this!
Exactly. I was a nurse. Giving advice like this isn't very professional. Every situation isn't the same. People shouldn't be taking advice from a random you tuber anyway. Hopefully no one takes it too seriously.
Isn’t the soap bad?
ALWAYS get a second opinion! This comment is proof of that. Thank you for your insight!
@@lisao7600 and always get a second opinion!
This does the opposite for me but I have velvet skin so maybe why.
Covering up a wound just makes it wet, covered in pus no matter how well it's cleaned and it just doesn't heal. I still have a scar on my knee over a decade old from doing this.
Same
Have you tried hydrocolloid bandages? They regulate the moisture really well.
@@seajelly2421 No maybe I'll give it a try. It's just that my skin is thin, soft and velvety so anything sticky leaves bruises or gets the area really moist which causes infection which is why I prefer to dry my wounds
@@ROYALRAT123 :( I understand. I've got classical type EDS, so I have similar issues. With the hydrocolloids, you can just leave it on until the skin grows enough that the bandage falls off on its own (unless there are signs of infection). No ointments, though. The direct contact on the skin allows a certain amount of absorption so that the wound stays not too wet and not too dry. It's basically like a scab, but better (the wound won't form a scab).
@@seajelly2421 Sounds like a good idea 👍
What could I do about years and years of melatilomania without treatment. From approximately 4 years old till now 46 years old. Old scares suggestions. What could I do to help as fast as possible due to my inability to ignore it? Any direction to a good website I really need to address this.
Thank you! Is Neosporin ok to use? We have it and I don’t want it to go to waste.
Girl. Cant make me believe that. Past year, ive SLICED my knee OPEN on not 1 but 2 RUSTY huge, peices of metal. I'm talking I SHOULDA HAD STITCHES. no ointment. Just some peroxide to clean the wound. Hey. We good over here! ❤
I’ve used crazy glue to close up my cuts. It works beautifully. No infections, and fast healing.
Idk wtf she’s talking about rewashing every day. It really concerns me how everyone can get on social media and “give advice” under “I’m a professional”.
Knowing myself i'd risk getting a scar rather than getting an infection, i dont want ANY humidity near my wounds
Your wounds need some moisture to heal well. Drying them out delays healing and increases risk of infection. While it is true that excessive drainage can harbor bacteria, as long as you are managing that exudate appropriately, and cleaning the wound, the moist healing route is always recommended.
Airing it out risks the scars way more!!!
It needs moisture to heal but wash to avoid infection
Personally I like hydrocolloid bandages. It keeps dirt from getting into it helps wick away moisture but keep the wound bed from drying out, and It has antimicrobial properties. It's made with pectin! You just can't get them wet at all.
@@jessicaolson490 I have a hydrocolloid bandage on a blister right now! LOL!
Idk as someone who used to severely scar myself in multiple ways Neosporin is like great, makes things heal way quicker and stay cleaner than jelly.
It’s not needed though. Unnecessary antibiotics cause resistance.
Never heard of it don't think we have it in the UK
If the abrasion is superficial, would you recommend Liquid Skin ?
Holy Moly! Thank you! Some of the info I actually did know, however I do come from the generation that heard things like, “rub some dirt on it!” So, the not letting it air out bit was helpful! From the clumsy one, who also tends to scar easily!;)
Take care of your wounds, but don’t let visuals define you. So many people are insecure about their scars, but scars are beautiful they tell your story and what has shaped you. Scars hold memories, lessons, and your journey.
My scars:
-I have large (2-3”) scar on my forearm. My cat was being himself. If the scar still exists in 20+ years it will serve as a reminder of our adventures together from him showing up on the porch to him booping me to him attacking feet to him growing up and becoming cuddly.
-a large (2-3”) scar on my shin. It serves as a reminder about my grandpa.. and to eat my fruits and vegetables (gotta get that vitamin c). I got it from a scallop that swam away while I was too close.
-a tiny (.25”) round scar on either knee with 2 smaller round scars around it. A reminder to be careful of the paths I take and to not be overly confident
-a small (.5”) curved scar on my index finger. A reminder that no matter how good at something I am to always be careful and to do it right
-a large (3”) scar and indent along my hairline. A memory of how childhood feels and the happiness I am capable of feeling. And a reminder that no matter how dark things seem it hasn’t always felt this way and it won’t always feel like this.
TY, that's just beautiful. Own the bumps in life.
I agree. My skin reacts to everything and scars easily. I'm too busy to try and pamper my fragile skin.
Pure honey (like Sidr, medicinal grade-never the cheap, sugary squeezy bear junk) also helps it heal fast and small. Important addition, if you have very slow wound healing (like with Ehlers-Danlos), don't change the bandage too frequently! Use waterproof bandages and keep it for 3 days (if you can keep it completely dry, a week!)
People are saying wounds heal slower using the originally described method.
I find about 3-5 weeks quite a long time myself, and some people are reporting a 7x increase. I don't want to be bandaged up for half a year 😂 🦓
Neosporin, or Polysporin as we call it here in Canada, is an absolute must for anyone prone to infection though. I learned the hard way what happens when you are infection prone and use plain ointment instead medicated.
Neosporin and polysporin are similar but different. Neosporin is a triple antibiotic meaning it has 3 antibiotic ingredients. Polysporin only has two and abiotic ingredients. That said the third antibiotic in Neosporin is known to frequently cause allergic reactions and can make skin itchy, red, scaley which kinda defeats the purpose of the ointment.. so polysporin is better to use. Or the generic store brand version of it is just as good and cheaper. No sense breaking the bank over a booboo
@@wastingjam4133 Interesting, because my Polysporin has 3 antibiotics, and an antibacterial with pain relief effects. Polymyxin B Sulfate, Bacitracin Zinc, Gramicidin, and Lidocaine to be exact. Despite having extremely sensitive skin it’s never caused skin irritations for me, but that might be why they also add vitamin E to the ointment, I’m guessing that’s what combats any potential skin irritation.
Edit: Also yes, I tend to go for the store brand for most medical stuff as long as the ingredients are identical, which in most cases they are.
Not to be that guy, but do you have any advice for people with high sensitivities? I'm autistic, and even smal cuts and scrapes hurt like the devil sometimes. I'd like to know if there's any alternative other than just "grin and bear it" please, thank you! /gen
When I cover a scrape or cut, it gets all soggy and oozy, yellow and gross so I wash if and let air get to it and it scabs faster. Maybe a deeper wound to not get infected. No scars here. We put honey on bad burns too. Healed fast.
Aloe Vera is such a good thing to use too! I swear my scars look nonexistent
I disagree. My mother has a horrible scar because she did this under the advice of one doctor. It never healed until another doctor told her that it needed to dry. Also, I had a mini experiment on myself when I was a kid. I got a long cut on my calf and they only had bandaids for half of it. The half that was exposed was already healing while the one that was covered was still raw. In the end, the one that was left to "dry out" faded to nothing, while the other half left a scar.
Yes exposed wound dry and heal much faster. I tried her method before and it never healed until I stopped bandage and vaseline altogether
It depends on what kind of wound it is in my experience.
After 24 hrs ointment can be useful without a bandage until swelling or itching goes down and then dry out
(don't pick unless it's falling of or getting caught and then you trim it)
Neosporin use (when unnecessary) can lead to antibiotics resistance as well! Vaseline has saved me from so many scars lol. A+D works wonders for surface burns and scabs from cuts and scrapes, too.
oof, that makes sense, about antibiotics resistance 😬
Petroleum jelly is literally so useful I always have it with me wherever I go ! It can seal in moisture which not only helps me with my dry lips (I literally used to bleed every day), it can also help with some pimples ! Like overnight, there are instant results on some pimples (obviously not perfect, but noticeable!) and also ofc wound healing
I would presume you’d need to be fairly accident prone and getting quite a few cuts, having to use it quite a bit to build up resistance though.
Is antibiotic ointment bad for some reason? How does Vaseline aid healing?
It depends on the depth of the wound. If you apply petrolatum based ointment to scabs covering deeper wounds the scab will constantly soften, allowing exudate to escape, and the ointment holds that exudate next to the skin, macerating the surrounding skin and really delaying wound healing. In those instances, a dry dressing is far preferable, allows the scab to do its job and absorbs any exudate. Better would be a zinc based ointment that promotes healing and wicks out escaping exudate onto the dry dressing. Zinc based ointments also work great for more shallow scabs, keeps a good moisture balance while protecting. Any deeper and it may need sutures or packing. Wound care is highly variable to the type of wound and also may change as the wound heals.
I feel threatened with you waving around that knife 😂
My great grandma always put 100% pure natural honey on our cleaned wounds to help with the healing and the scarring. I have never had a scar from a cut my whole life because of her!
Wow that’s amazing! What do you do with the stickiness?
@@raeraekhan we just put a bandage on top, changed a few times a day
Fun fact: Honey has antibacterial properties and was used for wound care before we had antibiotics. Granny knew her stuff!
Honey is surprisingly good for wounds! I have a skin condition that causes me to have anywhere from 1-20 open wounds on my body at any given time and I use medical grade manuka honey on my wounds and it really helps. There are so many studies on the role of honey in wound care. For the average person, regular honey is fine but I prefer to use medical grade since I'm dealing with larger wounds that are more likely to get infected.
Yeah I recently started using manuka honey on wounds and it helped so much!
Had an (accidental) dog bite on my index finger, right at the a joint, and it was so swollen in the beginning! So after a while I started using manuka honey and cover it with a bandaid and I could almost watch the swelling go down in real time! 🤯
Within two hours of the first time I applied it the swelling had gone down to the point where I had to change bandaids because the one I had originally put on, quite tightly, was now too loose!
Because it's right on the joint I keep irritating it so the swelling would come back a couple of times, and I noticed the same thing every time. So impressed!
I used to just put a bandage on, mainly on the first to second day, growing up. (So many scars are on my body!) Now finally in my 20s, all these dermatologists videos I watch have the steps burned in my head. Soap, Water, Barrier Ointment, Bandage, Repeat.
Thank you! I needed this for my kiddo!
I put on a bandage on until it stops bleeding. Then I let it “air out”. Otherwise it never seems to properly form a scab and heal. Occasionally I might use some antibiotic cream under the bandage. But this is for a very short period of time. Covering it is ONLY to stop bleeding. Doesn’t your skin need to breathe?
Why are you eating while filing videos?
Right? Talking with your mouth full is one of my pet peeves.
I’m sure she’s doing it to look “natural & approachable”.
But I wonder how many times she had to record this.
@tvviewer4500. I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that inappropriate.
Yes!! Holy cow, that’s gross and strange. She must know better. The things ‘content creators’ do for attention is odd..
Casually eats peach 😅😮
This is a great video. Other than that - why do i keep seeing people eating and chewng while filming??
Yes its weird!
I’ve been wondering the same thing! Like you couldn’t wait to hit record until AFTER you finished chewing? 😂 I think it’s a trend for people to pretend like you just caught them in the middle of a snack or something
right? just film after eating!
It’s gross really, I didn’t watch but came right to the comments to see if someone commented this.
Yes! I hate it so much!
If I did this my wound would never heal, I only put a bandage for the first day or until (if it's a bit bigger) I felt it was ready to 'air out'.
An example is when I had scraped my shin really bad ( was running on the line curb like most civilized adults do) the scrape was rough and was at least 7 inches long and maybe 3 inches wide (width of the curb) and the first day I cleaned, ointment, and then bandage. Next day I decided to let it air while I was home , kept my leg out while I was sleeping and it took I think about half a week to see the skin healing. Almost 4 years later and there's no scar.
Do you have a solution to the adhesives in bandaides toxicity? I have a few folks who don’t use bandaides because of the toxin and forever chemicals in them. 🙏🏾🤙🏾
When I burned my face while waxing, I used Paw Paw's ointment! Let me tell you! That stuff works well for any kind of healing. Pimples, mosquito bites, any type of lacerations. Ointments help keep the skin moisturized and won't let the skin dry out which leads to a scab. It will keep a light pink tint on the skin which is good like Dr said. ❤ Hope this helps someone. ❤
Why don't we air cuts out? They dry up and scab better. Please explain Thank you! :-)
You're right and I imagine this method is to avoid "scarring" ... people are afraid of having scars on their skin because it's apparently not aesthetically pleasing ... but each to their own & I suppose location dependant!
Cosmetic outcomes are more important to her than reducing risk of infection from an open wound it seems.
A Band-Aid literally acts as a scab that’s already formed healing the skin underneath quicker.
Relly appreciate the giant mouthful of food you were talking through. Thanks so much.
Just rude!
And arrogant … like her own advice is Theee Best Advice in the Entire World …
Yes cover it but some people leave tho he covered for to long and/or to tight!! And than it gets infected or creates sores
Would you put medicated ointment if it’s from an animal? Like we have cats with diseases and when they bite or scratch (love bites and scratches) will medicated help prevent worms, infections, disease, virus, rabies
Your skin is so beautiful!
Why eat food while talking, yuk
Ikr? This is so unnecessary
This is a terrible attempt at appearing nonchalant
@@RhythmAddictedState 💯
@@Michelle-re7wn makes me stomach turn
To enrage us enough to provoke a reaction in form of a comment. Our engagement profits the creator.
Plus, it is rude. Never talk with your mouth full. It's basic manners.
I love the mom energy of “You Will Do This until there is a nice layer of pink skin there” ❤❤❤😂
What is up with people making videos eating and doing things that have nothing to do with the video? Show some CLASS!!
Retired ER doc here. Topics I’d like to see:
(1) accelerating wound healing (it can be done)
(2) common things people do to delay healing. One of them: I worked in a busy, high-acuity emergency department but took dietary histories whenever I could. In doing that, I was astounded by the abysmal nutrition most people consume - nowhere near optimal for healing.
Excellent….. thank you💫
Love the tips, but why do they so frequently have to eat while doing videos like this? I just wanted the tips, not to hear you crunching your food.
Yeh this bugs me too. I wonder if it’s an attempt at feigning casual like it wasn’t set up? Speaking with your mouth full is worse than not knowing this specific protocol for minor wound care.
This and applying skincare/makeup for every video. I think it’s trendy right now for videos but it is a bit annoying!
I hate when girls do this with putting on their makeup too, like just talk to me and get the point across, don't sit there showing me how you apply your false mask and act all casual. I think they want us to feel like we're in the room with them sitting across the table as if this is just what naturally comes up in their day to day conversation, but once you see it, you cannot unsee it, it's deceptive and annoying, I stop listening as soon as I notice.
Well, they do get a reaction out of us, don't they? Our engagement, even if it does not apply to the topic of the video, profits the creators. It is just another annoying strategy used to make us comment and like the comments agreeing that the eating and/or the application of make-up (which this creator also does in other flicks) are not acceptable. 😒
Great video! For the longest time I didn't even take care of cuts in my skin, even now all I did was wash the cut with soap and water and just left it alone so it would heal on its own.
Thanks for the info doc!
Not her talking while eating 😂
Thank you so much for sharing your advice! 😊 What are your thoughts on liquid bandage?
What do you recommend for a 5 month old baby with a weeping eczema patch on his cheek?
Manuka honey is also great for healing and preventing scabs and scars
Also 50x more expensive than vasaline 😂
I work in a kitchen. Whenever i get cuts I put bandage only when I'm cooking because I don't want to be in contact with salt on acid (ouch!) . But my hands get wet a lot, and i don't like wearing wet bandage. So unless i'm cooking, i prefer airing my wound out
I hope you're wearing gloves over that bandaid or cut, otherwise you're risking giving your guests food poisoning. In my country it's not allowed to cook for others with a cut on your hands if there's any chance it can come in contact with the food.
Try the waterproof Nexcare ones. They stay in place like whoa and don’t get wet.
@@hannahthufvesson blood borne pathogens just spreading with an open wound around food.
@@hannahthufvessonAs long as it isn't bleeding you'll be fine. Wash your hands, make sure your wound is closed, you'll be fine
@@ixagonczi Different countries have different laws. In mine, you need a bandaid as well as gloves (which is to be exchanged as you shift to a new task) if you have a cut on your hand. Otherwise you are not permitted to prepare food for other people in a restaurant or the like.
Not her eating an apple😂😂
I totally thought that she was going to say that you put an apple slice on the scrape! 😂
I totally thought that she was going to put an apple slice on the scrape! 😂
So gross. Imagine hitting record and just being like “I’m gonna chew in everyone’s face. People will like that.”
I love it. It's just so real. She's like a friend who happens to be a doctor. Fit the moment very well.
I wouldn’t want a friend talking to me with their mouth full of food, either. Are kids not taught basic manners anymore?
Nope nope nope. In my personal experience (emphasis on personal so no hate please) covering fresh wounds with bandaids makes them weepy and delays healing. Especially with scrapes, god bandaids hurt really bad for some reason. Vaseline is good but letting in air out really seems to help. And well since I am the clumsiest person ever and have a new wound every week, this has worked very well for me
you just got my follow, love that as a viewer i feel like your bestie you are educating🥰
This is some over the top excessive nonsense lol
Agree. Never letting it air out would make the skin weak and damaged.
I would say every cut is different. Size, type, and placement all make a difference in how you treat it. A cut on my upper arm is going to be treated differently than my foot. And one on my finger is treated differently than both of those. Scraping the skin vs cutting the skin also makes a difference in how you treat it. Depth makes a difference
Great she’s a dermatologist but she’s exactly the kind of dr I hate seeing. They tell you to do stupid crap because a book told them so.
Why don't we know these simple things?! Thanks Dr. Sam!!!
Basic First Aid is no longer taught in school. It was a part of our Physical Education curriculum.
As the other person said basic first aid is no longer in the curriculum, if you want to be able to pass on this advice and actually have people listen tell them to go take a Red Cross first aid course or tell him to get in girl scouts though I cannot guarantee the second method is foolproof
She's wrong. Dont listen to her advice.
@@farfromirrational948 go take first aid
@@sheilaelliott7674Here you still need to know it to pass PE class
"Look at me I'm so casual and quirky eating my food while talking on a video cuz I'm just SO busy"
Thank you for putting this into words. Thank you.
I thought it was a sketch at first like that girl that does wasp mom and other annoying characters, Caitlin Reily
Yes. Can people please not make videos while they're eating ?
Unless you're Giada De Laurentiis , it's just not flattering.
My thoughts, your words. I couldn't have said it better.
... "And the viewers will engage with the video when they feel disturbed by me eating. They will feel more compelled to comment on it rather on than the actual topic of the video.
And this way I will profit from their negative emotions. "
55 and airing out heals it fastest for me. I'm dont care about thd scar, i just need it healed up fast, which it does, especially if it gets alot of sunlight and air. I dump hydrogen peroxide on them too. Yukky bandaids ..
Imma go have that peach now I noticed in the fridge this morning. Something about seeing other people enjoy something!
Does it matter what kind of soap you use?
I never ever heard of this and it seems a bit odd to use handsoap
Regular soap that you use for your hands, doesn't matter if it is liquid or solid. I promise you that it is enough
You've never heard of washing a cut with soap and water? That's super basic first aid. Any wound should be washed
@@bbbean washed yes.. with just water. That’s what I’ve heard
The longest healing cuts I've gotten are ones i do what this Dr. just said to do. On top of that, they generally stay "pink" for months after finally closing. Whenever i let them air out, they generally heal quickly. Now, the only cuts i bandage are ones i need stitches for but dont want to get stitched, or ones that are in a bad spot that i use all the time, ie fingers, palm or waistline. Everyone heals a little different though
i was really scared that she was waving her knife around so close to me then i remembered she’s behind the screen
My mother did the same-waved her hand/knife round while talking with me-and actually stabbed me when she handed me a piece of apple. It was just a small puncture wound...but the threat is real! 😂
Neosporin is amazing, definitely use it 😊
Dont use Neosporin unless you have a Specific reason to worry about infection. Anti-Biotic resistance is a growing problem all over the world, and tossing Neosporin on everything is what makes it worse.
@@datdabdoe1417 Neosporin helps cuts heal faster, antibiotic resistance is from people constantly taking antibiotics.
@@JohnSmith-pb1dd neosporin IS an antibiotic. In fact, most neosporin ointments contain 3 antibiotics.
thank you Doc. just sharing this.
3rd wk of Dec 2023, I had an accident that left a huge deep open wound on my left eye just around 1-2mm from my eyebrow. It kept bleeding but I was alone and cannot go to hospital so I washed it with water and unscented (no fragrance) soap.
did not pat dry. I applied pressure on it with a clean cotton cloth until the wound stopped bleeding.
then I checked my stash of meds. I have no anti inflammatory oral meds but i have some excess anti inflammatory ointments. I thought of using them but I decided not to since I haven’t have myself checked.
I reached for my petroleum jelly (unscented/fragrance free) and applied a liberal amount to cover the wound. I did not put the jelly inside the wound, just on top of it to cover it and avoid any foreign particles to enter it.
then I ate blueberries, then yogurt with frozen blueberries. I avoided chicken and fish until the 3rd day. within 24hrs, my left eye brow area is inflamed and red. I washed it twice a day, applied petroleum jelly. did not apply my skincare on my face to avoid contact with the wound.
after 4days, the wound closed completely but I can still feel “inside” that it hurts. I continued eating blueberries and increased my dosage of vit c to 1000mg. drank more than 8glasses of water. ate whatever I fancy.
a week and a half later, the wound left a scar but no more pain inside.
now, the scar is not there anymore after going back in applying my usual skincare.
I was told that the wound could have required 7-8 stitches. yep, that long and it is deep. but petroleum jelly and power of bluebrries’ anti oxidants helped to alleviate the inflammation. vit c helped in quick healing process.
Talking while eating is so not etiquette.
.... My doctor just told me to let it be and not cover it. I'm confused now hahahahah
They mustn't be derm.. derms care about cosmetic outcome a lot more it seems, other doctors prefer the wound heal up faster to reduce infection risk.
@@dr.k1012 he is derm but I am prone to infections, so maybe that is why
Your doctor is right just apply ointment and let it air out if it's not bleeding
Listen to your GP, not this hack.
Dont be confused, ignore this lady. She has no clue what she's talking about.
my dad once redid our wooden floors with one of those heavy grinding machines and the genius he was he was wearing sandals and ran the machine over one of his feet and you could see some gruesome white-ish stuff you weren't supposed to see and yet he was still like "imma just air it out" and i was like "like hell you're not" 💀
😧😧😧
My husband gets re-occurring MRSA infections, I was told to use Bag Balm instead of aquaphor. It works for him better than any ointment i have used,
When would you say it's appropriate to use neosporin? Only in the case when the cut or scrape is infected? Is there an appropriate prophylactic use for it?
I’m brainrotten so bad that I thought what she meant by a cut was the opposite of bulk kinda cut 😂
I've never gotten the "air out" thing?? Like how does that not HURT y'all, it's so much more comfortable to be bandage cuts and scrapes with a bit of ointment.
I don't know if it's a sensory thing but I have a fairly high pain tolerance so the "air out" method doesn't really bother me. What does bother me is constantly feeling the tug of a bandaid or conversely the tiny loose flap of a bandaid just flapping all around until I have a chance to replace it.
Because it forms a hard scab, which is like a natural hard plaster. When you put a Band-Aid on it stays a soft wound and when you change it and the wound separates a bit it’s a really unpleasant feeling.
Because it feels raw, rather have a scab
It’s to fight infection.
Because wounds are supposed to naturally scab over! The scabs are hard and they protect the wound. The wounds covered by bandages always get mushy and take forever to heal. Airing out makes them dry faster. But I guess people are more concerned with aesthetics rather than health
This is really helpful.
I found out applying Vaseline and similar products on small cuts and scrapes helps them heal faster by accident (pun intenede) after cleaning and drying them as I have a habit of tearing up my lips and their skins since I was a child (probably due to unknown stress factors as I score high in neuroticism).
I did still let these small wounds air out especially if the cuts or scrapes are on my hands which constantly get wets by washing and doing chores and if the cuts aren't too deep (as in they stop bleeding after a few hours or a day). If they are deep enough or are still fresh, I did what recommended in this short.
I got lots of scrapes, scratches and cuts as a child but barely ever got any scars and the one I did remember is barely noticeable, probably thanks to knowing how to properly first aid them thanks to my mom. This helps a lot when I adopt my cats later on.
I was baffled when I later came across posts of people having terribly deep scars on their hands using glue guns for their craft projects and realized that they didn't know how to first aid a burn at all. I got several accident glue gun burns but never let it got that worse and have no scars whatsoever. Apparently most just leave the glue cool down on its own while enduring the pain, letting the hot glue deepen the burn instead of running to the nearest sink to rinse it to cool it off immediately to peel it out, minimizing the effect.
Also, reading all the infographics and first aid procedures on the walls of school infirmary, clinics and hospitals is totally worth the time and efforts, just in case.
Thank you. Letting it dry is the general advice I got everywhere ( scraped knees on kids are very common). I thought the wound needed air and shouldn't be covered.
Bandaids, for me, are for deep cuts, not scratches or scrapes. Soap and water, Uncovered and little to no medication and I’m healed in a couple days at most.