A few days ago I fell down a slope and scraped my leg. After a few days of treatment, the injured area had a nice scab covering it. It itched like crazy, so I applied a cream that was given by a dermatologist. While applying it, I accidentally tore part of the scab. Within a minute or so, a sticky, clear liquid started building up from that area. It didn’t seem to contain blood or anything. After a while, it turned yellowish and had an odor to it.
What is the name of this liquid and what is its function?
It’s called puss, and it heals your wound. I know you did it by accident, but if you can help it, try to keep it covered and don’t pick at it. It’s there for a reason.
No, that’s another name for a cat. The substance in question is pus. However, would I be mistaken in saying that pus is what forms when your wound has become infected? I’ve had many wounds in which pus never formed. The one in which it did, sent me to the hospital with blood poisoning. Is what we are talking about not called sebaceous fluid?
Thanks bouv. I always thought puss was a slightly thicker, cloudy (yellowish) substance. This is more “liquidy” and clear. Different stages of the same substance?
Thanks Bouv and everyone else for their input. I just checked out some sites for “lymphatic fluid” and that is what I was trying to describe in the OP.
The presence of pus (even if that’s what it was, which it doesn’t sound like) doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a runaway infection that your body can’t cope with; pus is usually just lymph plus lots of dead white blood cells - dead because they’ve done their job of gobbling up a heap of pathogens. IANAD, but if the wound is fairly comfortable and not especially red or swollen, there may be infection present that requires no treatment but to be left alone.
