Skin abrasions taking a long time to heal

[LadyY]

I am on 5th week of tx and one night my foot was itching like crazy. I scratched it (not to the point of bleeding)and caused a slight cut in foot. That was two weeks ago..it still itches a little. It's an open cut...should i be concerned?

[ladybug52]

Maui, that's incredible! So you work with animals or in a surgery center,or are just gutsy? (no pun intended re: the little froggy)
Lostpass: I love the bag balm for cuticle area when it gets cracked and dry. I found something with beeswax though, at a flea market that either healed it or it was a coincidence.
Chcnme: Super glue, who'd have thought of it? I know they're gluing some wounds and incisions shut, but I never thought of trying it at home!
Bug

[rosebud57]

i don't think theres a superglue made that can put a bird back together once my cat has gotten hold of it.

[lostpass]

I had a sore the size of a quarter and it refused to heal during the 12 months of treatment {I have 2 months of post treatment to go Geno type 1.  The Dr. had me on so many different antibiotics {external}  Guess what worked??? Bag Balm used by farmers for years to heal cow utters that were ripped open.  Hey, this is great stuff.  I use it on my face for lotion.... great for dry skin. I put my Dr. to shame... It comes in a green can and you can buy it at a drug store.  I swear by it. It will not hurt you.

[web52]

thanks, adding it to my hardware store shopping list.

[rosebud57]

i am just guessing that it is not superglue. but a product that is sold in the first-aid section. which has similar properties to superglue.  though i could be wrong.  i have seen doc's use a "superglue product' in the ER to glue in stead of suture certain cuts.

[ladybug52]

I have trouble with minor cuts looking like I got hit with a runaway chain saw. Rose is right about diabetes and slow healing wounds, but our immune system is compromised by these drugs, and healing is slower also.
Bug

[chcnme]

omg - the frog story was great - hehehe.   I have several friends who work construction and use nothing but Superglue for cuts.  They don't carry bandaids - they carry tubes of Superglue :)  

[mauilady]

It's Superglue, from the hardware store... you can use the medical version, but it's practically the same and costs way more.  I once fixed a frog with it... its intestines were hanging out after one of my cats got it.  I cleaned the intestines off,pushed them back in through the tiny hole in its side, dried it off and superglued it.  Froggie lived!  After that, I started using it on myself...

Just use a small, very small, amount on the cut and let it dry.  Don't let it tough any other surface, like a neighboring finger!!!  Works wonders.

It's also good if you play a stringed instrument and your fingertips get sore.

[web52]

i also get a frequent what feels like paper cuts on my fingers that are annoying. how do you use superglue to seal them? can you describe step by step for me?? thanks.

[rosebud57]

slow healing of cuts could be sign of diabetes, i would have checked ot by your physician, RN, heptologiist who every follows you at your next appt.
good luck
rose

[mauilady]

That's all part of the drugs... I keep a supply of SuperGlue handy for the tiny, painful, annoying cuts on my hands.  It works wonders, believe me!  And, of course, neosporin for the flare-ups.

Keep your skin well hydrated; Aveeno Anti-Itch helps.  And shorter, not-so-hot showers.  If you're addicted to two long hots a day (like I am/was), this may be brutal, but it's well worth the effort!  I was sooo itchy I wanted to crawl out of my skin; since I cooled it in the shower dept, I'm way better.  Interferon really dries you out.

Good luck!

[chcnme]

Hey Lady.  Two weeks, huh?  Well... it's not unusual with Hep C or for someone on treatment for wounds to take longer to heal.  I don't know that it's necessarily reason for concern UNLESS it gets infected.   If the open cut area gets redder around the edges, or it gets hot feeling to the touch, or if it starts oozing or draining, then - it might be infected and you might need to show it to your doc.  If it were me, I'd probably keep it covered for now and make sure I keep my hands off it.  I'd wash it good with hot soapy water, maybe put a little of Neosporin on it, cover it with a bandaid, and just watch it.  And if it gets worse, I'd ask the doc.   Don't scratch it! :)  Best of luck.