# I am so screwed **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544 "2005-12-14T05:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/1 "2005-12-14T05:17:57Z")
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: ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/2 "2005-12-14T05:23:23Z")
Live forever with your flesh intwined with gauze? Or maybe go to the doctor. Your choice. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/3 "2005-12-14T05:25:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/4 "2005-12-14T05:40:24Z")
I don’t think its the end of the world chief. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/5 "2005-12-14T05:47:57Z")
“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: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/6 "2005-12-14T09:00:51Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/7 "2005-12-14T16:02:49Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/8 "2005-12-14T18:49:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/9 "2005-12-14T19:44:37Z")
Another vote for soaking. Drink a bit of rum while you’re soaking it. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/10 "2005-12-14T21:07:21Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/11 "2005-12-14T21:32:01Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > go to the store and find some sterile water. (they kind for contacts is fine) Soak it in that. Ouch ouch ouch! My contact solution is SALINE. Doesn’t salt in a wound smart? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/12 "2005-12-14T21:38:29Z")
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. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/13 "2005-12-14T21:57:17Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > Ouch ouch ouch! My contact solution is SALINE. Doesn’t salt in a wound smart? 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. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/14 "2005-12-14T22:08:58Z")
[It could be worse.](http://www.wftv.com/news/3643877/detail.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/15 "2005-12-14T22:11:29Z")
After you get it off I would recommend [something like this](http://www.bandaid.com/activflex_prod.shtml) with which to replace it. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/16 "2005-12-14T22:30:13Z")
This thread reminds me of that wound Homer Simpson had on his knee, which scabbed over a little kid’s (Ralph’s?) hand. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/17 "2005-12-14T22:36:05Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/18 "2005-12-14T23:47:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/19 "2005-12-15T00:12:16Z")
You just… …fell over?.. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544/20 "2005-12-15T01:01:46Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > 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 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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-screwed/335544.md?page=2)