I may be wrong, but I don't think covering it with saran wrap is a good idea at all. The skin has to breathe, and wrapping it in plastic is never a good idea, regardless of the situation, IMO.
A quick update. It has been three weeks since the accident and I'm still recovering. Haven't walked yet and it may take another couple weeks before I can. The burn developed a blister the size of my fist on one foot. I finally popped it 6 days ago.
Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm drinking a lot of water, taking extra zinc, C and E. Gotu Kola is good for healing burns. Started taking that too.
Gotu Kola is good for healing burns. Started taking that too.
Licorice can be complementary to Gotu Kola.
__________________ "We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me." George Orwell
I may be wrong, but I don't think covering it with saran wrap is a good idea at all. The skin has to breathe, and wrapping it in plastic is never a good idea, regardless of the situation, IMO.
I hesitated at first too, saran wrap on my burn??? BUT what alternative is there? The main thing is to keep an infection away and air is one way for bacteria to transfer to things. The honey has kept the saran wrap from sticking to my wound too.
The healing is going well so far. My wheelchair is hard to get into but in time it'll be easier to pivot myself onto it without fear of pain.
This event has really made me realize how important it is to get your body into the strongest state possible. Correct any nutrient deficiencies, strengthen any weak organs, take out accumulated toxins....all so your body can be at it's maximum to deal with any type of health emergency like this burn.
Another thing, have a home medicine chest so you're ready for anything. My colloidal silver machine was the best investment ever. I knew that it would sterilize my burn and I had confidence in it. Pain reliever...that I didn't have. I wonder if I took 3 T. of tumeric if it would have worked as well at the ibuprofin. Some say it can.
My husband said today, "Well, we haven't starved," Hee hee - he has done a wonderful job. I have more appreciation for him - perhaps that's the lesson in all this.
So glad to hear you are healing. You are doing all the right things. When I heard you had such tremendous pain, it signals you did not burn to the muscle. Burns that are very deep lose all sense of feeling. And many go into shock.
Someone spilled boiling water on my son many years ago, hunks of skin just came off. He had no pain nearly immediately thereafter; and ended up in a burn unit, with skin grafts. For years he was an out patient at the Shriners Burn Center in Boston. We used vitamin e to keep the skin soft and promote healing along with vitamin C.
Although it was difficult to apply the honey which was an excellent move, the plastic wrap is not a good idea; I know you did not want infection to set in, but the better move would be a breathable sterile non stick pad, then lots of gauze over that to protect the area.
A whirlpool bath is excellent to stimulate the area and shed the dead skin. Then rewrap in sterile dressing.
Wishing you much healing.
So glad to hear you are healing. You are doing all the right things. When I heard you had such tremendous pain, it signals you did not burn to the muscle. Burns that are very deep lose all sense of feeling. And many go into shock.
Someone spilled boiling water on my son many years ago, hunks of skin just came off. He had no pain nearly immediately thereafter; and ended up in a burn unit, with skin grafts. For years he was an out patient at the Shriners Burn Center in Boston. We used vitamin e to keep the skin soft and promote healing along with vitamin C.
Although it was difficult to apply the honey which was an excellent move, the plastic wrap is not a good idea; I know you did not want infection to set in, but the better move would be a breathable sterile non stick pad, then lots of gauze over that to protect the area.
A whirlpool bath is excellent to stimulate the area and shed the dead skin. Then rewrap in sterile dressing.
Wishing you much healing.
Oh, how traumatic. Big sigh. I'm still not walking and the healing is taking a lot longer than I ever imagined. The breathable sterile non stick pad.....if I put cream on top of that would that make it no longer breathable? I'm still trying to figure out the best type of covering. Currently one foot is draining and the gauze has been sticking the past couple nights causing pain and pulling of dead skin. ugh!
Whatever you use just be sure it is breathable, the salves etc will not interfere with the healing. If the skin is falling off, then it is dead and you will have to be sure to keep the skin underneath very clean. As I said before, at a burn center they put that area in a whirlpool bath, that allow the dead skin to fall off and also it stimulates the new area underneath bringing blood supply to it causing new growth to occur.
Remember what happened is you have damaged the skin bed underneath, as long as there are at least one or two layers there it will rebuild. Keep it very clean and sterile. Infection is the number one cause of problems with burns as well as loss of fluid. Drink a lot of liquids, this will help a lot.
When the areas are not weeping anymore, keep loose gauze on them so air can get to it but nothing else can. You have to keep it from getting infected.
Depending where the burns are and how deep they are you will have to worry about scars as well. Once they are healed to a point where there is no open areas, and new skin is forming, you will want to create a compression wrap that will teach the skin cells how to grow flat or flatter that if not used. I can tell you more about that later if you want.
Whatever you use just be sure it is breathable, the salves etc will not interfere with the healing. If the skin is falling off, then it is dead and you will have to be sure to keep the skin underneath very clean. As I said before, at a burn center they put that area in a whirlpool bath, that allow the dead skin to fall off and also it stimulates the new area underneath bringing blood supply to it causing new growth to occur.
Remember what happened is you have damaged the skin bed underneath, as long as there are at least one or two layers there it will rebuild. Keep it very clean and sterile. Infection is the number one cause of problems with burns as well as loss of fluid. Drink a lot of liquids, this will help a lot.
When the areas are not weeping anymore, keep loose gauze on them so air can get to it but nothing else can. You have to keep it from getting infected.
Depending where the burns are and how deep they are you will have to worry about scars as well. Once they are healed to a point where there is no open areas, and new skin is forming, you will want to create a compression wrap that will teach the skin cells how to grow flat or flatter that if not used. I can tell you more about that later if you want.
Thanks for your help. The healing is so slow. I thought it would heal in 3 to 4 weeks but both feet are nowhere near being healed. The accident happened 6 weeks ago. This has certainly been a life-changing event.
The whirlpool bath sounds wonderful especially if it can stimulate the new skin without irritating it. Did your son have whirlpool treatments even after all the dead skin was removed? I have a lot of dead skin right now. I may buy a mini-foot spa for a small whirlpool effect.
The nonstick gauze idea was what I was missing. Aloe vera was sticking to my wound and it was a disaster. Creams and oils won't stop the healing? Would castor oil be good? I'm still uncertain what type of cream to buy. I've tried to get some silverdene but it is perscription only and we don't have insurance at this time. For now I"m using fresh aloe vera with non-stick gauze and spraying colloidal silver all over it.
I am concerned a bit about the skin growing too tight; so when I am finally able to walk it'll tear and rip. It's too sore to stretch right now.
Mommysunshine, I can relate to your predicament 100%. I have been trying to get sores on my ankle to heal now for over a year and several months but I don't wish you that kind of luck. Mine started with a sever staph infection which I was hospitalized for. Now I have a nurse still treating me and she uses a cloth impregnated with silver. As a result I'm almost all healed but the other day I think I did too much walking and one area broke open. That's the kicks. I have poor blood flow which makes my case so bad. I don't expect you will have that kid of trouble. Good luck.
I have been trying to get sores on my ankle to heal now for over a year and several months but I don't wish you that kind of luck. Mine started with a sever staph infection which I was hospitalized for. Now I have a nurse still treating me and she uses a cloth impregnated with silver.
Hybrid Mode
