Well, I have an in-depth study of band-aids going on around here. I can
offer my best tips:
The Nexcare Comfort strips are the BEST bandaids made. They even
make them in "Oh my god, I'm going to bleed to death" sizes. The huge 2x4"
ones are awesome to keep on hand. If you need it bigger, use a gauze pad and
cut the foot part of a nice snug fitting sock off, and use it as a
armband/legband to hold it in place (I find my hands/arms usually get it the
most, though I've had a few on my thighs too, as well as many face and chest
ones). I have permanent scars from a few good ones.
Here's the trick to get even the deepest cat scratches to heal in 3 days
or less:
1. Clean it WELL when first done. Get in the shower if you have to, use
antibacterial soap, and WASH it very thoroughly. You should be bleeding MORE
after you are done than you were to begin with.
2. Get the Bactine liquid, the kind in the squeeze bottle, and blot at it
with a cotton ball, this helps with the stinging.
3. Choose a bandaid that will completely cover the scratch, preferably
one with the sticky part all the way around the pad, so it seals the medicine
in, and the dirt out.
4. Use a generous glob of Neosporin on the scratch.
5. Squirt a bit of the Bactine liquid ONTO the bandaid pad, so it is WET,
but just the pad is wet, don't over do it and get the adhesive part wet.
6. Apply the wet Bactine bandaid to the cut that is globbed with
Neosporin. If your scratch looks gaping, like it might could use stitches, use
the bandaid to pull the two side together, apply one side first, pull it over
the wound and adhere the second side to the skin on the other side
of the wound, but pull it tighter than you normally would, so it pulls the
scratch closed as it covers it.
7. If you're dealing with a thigh scratch, take into consideration if you
spend more time sitting, or standing, and apply the bandaid in the position
you will be in most of the time, as the skin on the thighs moves a LOT from a
sitting position to a standing one, and a bandaid applied while sitting will
pucker once you stand up. Puckering is bad, because it mis-aligns the two
wound edges by placing more tension on one side then the other.
8. Leave it on as long as it will stay on. If it comes loose, immediately
make another one just like the first one. Sleep with it on, KEEP it covered
and WET, if you shower/bathe, take it off as soon as you get in the tub (not
before), and immediately dry the skin around it and reapply a new one as soon
as you get out, it HAS to stay moist at all times. If it dries out, squirt
some more Bactine on the outside of the pad (the Nexcare strips allow it
to pass through to the pad from the back side if applied
carefully). That's the trick. Wounds allowed to dry out form scabs,
scabbed wounds heal slower than clean edged wounds (and they scar
more).
Phaewryn
DONATE: We could really use a power saw (for construction), a digital
camera (for pictures) and HOMES for CATS!
