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Burns  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Snowmobile burn
Answered by
Jeffrey S Guy, M.D., M. Sc. - Burn Surgery, Trauma Surgery, Critical Care Medicine, Med Spec/Interest 4 General Surgery, Pre-Hospital Care
Vanderbilt Burn Center
This forum is for questions and support regarding burn issues such as: Hand burns, Pediatric Burns, Thermal burns, Electrical burns, Chemical burns, Radiation burns, Rehab/Recovery, Pain control, Psychological / Social Recovery, Scar Management, Smoke inhalation, Disaster Management, Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Snowmobile burn

by chechem, Dec 27, 2007 09:32PM
Ok so I went for  an 8 hour snowmbile ride the last saturday. I was all bundled up . Turtle neck and all. Well, Were the strap was on my helmet, and in the corner of the padding, I have these red marks. I could feel some cold air coming in from my jacket. I had a red mark under my chin the length of the strap, and another round spot on the side of my neck. They didnt really hurt right away. Everyone told me it was frostbite.  Well on the ride, I had a huge bump on the right side. It seemed to go down and was all red. I shaved that nite and noticed the strap mark. I put some peroxide on it, and I started aloe vera right away. The next day was vitamin E. I went to the doc and he didnt seem to think that it was frostbite, maybe a friction burn, or something else. I am also on Minocyclin for my acne. Since then I have been using aloe, vitamin e, and bactracin zinc. I am constantly applying vitamin e and aloe, and bactrcin in morning at night. It just started to peel and there is pink skin where the dead flaking skin was. Not all of it has peeled. The round spot I have hurts when I put aloe on it for like 10 minutes. It's almost like I put alcohol on it. The stinging pain goes in and out. I dont want any scarring, so what should I do? Keep up with the aloe and vitamin E? It's 100% pure aloe. I try not to pick at the dead skin, but its seeming to just starting to fall off.

I was reading all the different stuff I could put on it online. I want to start buying vitamin e soaps on a regular basis now. This incident has kinda scared me about my skin now. I dont want pink skin the length of the strap and a quarter size on the on side of my neck!

by Jeffrey S Guy, M.D., M. Sc., Dec 31, 2007 03:11PM
Frost bite seems unlikely.  As already mentioned in your post, the skin can also be injured by a friction burn or even shear injury (partial or second degree at most.)  I would use a mild soap and something like triple antibiotic ointment at most.
Member Comments (4)

by chechem, Dec 27, 2007 09:35PM
is this considered a first or second degree burn?

by chechem, Dec 27, 2007 09:39PM
I also havn't shaved since last saturday night. Should I, or just leave it alone?

by Jeffrey S Guy, M.D., M. Sc., Jan 08, 2008 10:49AM
Shaving actually helps keep the areas clean. From your descriptions of the injury this sounds like a first or second degree .
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