# Removing dried blood from skin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464 "2010-03-14T18:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/1 "2010-03-14T18:31:28Z")
After surgery I have some dried blood on my nose that won’t come off with water. Its kinda tender so I have to go easy on it. Is there any sort of solution that would take it off relatively easily? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/2 "2010-03-14T18:52:42Z")
Deleted, not sure what is and isn’t medical advice. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/3 "2010-03-14T18:58:14Z")
How about hydrogen peroxide? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/4 "2010-03-14T19:29:52Z")
Try prolonged exposure to water: lay a hot wet towel over the area for a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/5 "2010-03-14T19:56:55Z")
Is this at the incision site or blood that dribbled to somewhere else? If this is not at the incision you can spread petroleum jelly on it wait a few minutes and it should wipe right off. The other good one is hydrogen peroxide. You might still have to scrub at it a bit but not as much as if you just use water. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/6 "2010-03-14T20:07:22Z")
Is this directly on the wound, or dripped from elsewhere? If the former, don’t try to remove it: The scab is the first step of the healing process. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/7 "2010-03-14T23:19:04Z")
Thanks everyone. I wasn’t wondering about the incision area, but some blood had dripped down the side of my nose and under the tip. Petroleum jelly got it right off. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-dried-blood-from-skin/532464/8 "2010-03-15T00:55:59Z")
When I had a bad cut boo-boo (ie home fixed) I was annoyed/worried about removing the dried blood and the cotton remains stuck to --over-- the wound; It was a pain in the neck, but I didn’t want to re-rip open the wound. A doctor friend told me simply to place it in warm water. I can play the piano again (if I could).