Yesterday I fell over while out walking and (among many, many other things) took a hunk of flesh off my elbow. Man, I feel so OLD 
The elbow got one of those absorbent pads put over it. Today I peeled back the tape a little and… oh crap. It seems that the wound stuck to the pad and the scab formed THROUGH the gauze. So now I can’t take off this crusty, bloody patch without peeling off my massive scab.
Fuck.
What do I do? D:
Live forever with your flesh intwined with gauze? Or maybe go to the doctor. Your choice.
-foxy
When I had a bad burn get infected, I had to change the gauze pads twice daily. I cheated - I would run a warm tub and soak that puppy off. Much less painful.
I don’t think its the end of the world chief.
“Here let me take a look at it FlyingRamenMonster”
“No, no, I promise. I’m not going to touch it”
FlyingRamenMonster exposes elbow to Shakes
"Oooo, wow, you are scre… "YANK!
FlyingRamenMonster "YEEEOOOWWW!!! :mad: :mad:
Me: 
I’m not sure that’s such a great idea, I have enough missing from my elbow as it is >_>
I think I might have to cut the dressing off. Argh.
I had something similar happen to me.
I was running around the track in highschool with warmup pants on. Somehow my legs managed to get tangled up in themselves, and down to the asphalt I went. Well, this managed to tear a big hole in the warmup pants, and leave a several inch long abraision on my shin. I got treated with some nice yellow antiseptic stuff which burned like hellfire, and went on my merry way. Later that day, when I went to shower, I went to take the warmups off, and had to peel away at the warmups around the scab area. Turns out a thin layer of cotton had bonded with the scab, and had been left behind. It was quite an interesting looking scab while it lasted, though.
Soak it off. Of course, that defeats the purpose of having it scab over and heal…
Maybe you can let it heal exposed to the air this time, or use a liquid bandage-type stuff to keep the germs out. I used liquid bandage on a cut on my palm and it was great.
Another vote for soaking. Drink a bit of rum while you’re soaking it.
go to the store and find some sterile water. (they kind for contacts is fine) Soak it in that. It should come off fine. While you’re at the store, get some non-adhereing dressings. Telfa™ is one brand. They are thin, smooth, shiny, sterile pads that go under regular bandages to keep that sticking thing from happening.
Ouch ouch ouch! My contact solution is SALINE. Doesn’t salt in a wound smart?
a) Soak it off,
b) See a doctor about it,
c) Run around flailing your arms in the air and screaming gibberish. (This doesn’t really serve any purpose, it’s just an amusing mental image. ;))
Not if the salinity matches that of your body, which is what saline solution is FOR. That’s why it doesn’t hurt to put it in your eyes.
After you get it off
I would recommend something like this with which to replace it.
This thread reminds me of that wound Homer Simpson had on his knee, which scabbed over a little kid’s (Ralph’s?) hand.
here’s one nobody’s suggested
cover the existing guaze with anti biotic ointment and a new gauze pad
repeat twice a day for a week
Ignore the “itchies” which, if they haven’t already, will start in a day or two
In a week, remove the outer gauze and see what happens. Unless you’re a slow healer like me (shoddy immune system) a week should be enough time for your body to form scar tissue under the scab - at that point the original gauze should come off with the scab without making things worse
As **picunurse **says, once you get it off, Telfa is the way to go. I’m speaking as a man with a huge open wound on his belly. Wound coverings are something I experince daily.
You just…
…fell over?..
Wow. I would never, ever have the self-control to do this. I’d rip that puppy right the hell off, bleed like a madman and curse like a sailor, staunch the wound 'til it stopped bleeding, pack it in antibiotic ointment and re-cover for a day. Then, let it heal uncovered.
You’re probably best off soaking it, though. I myself consider scab picking as a hobby, which is not for everyone.