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Road rash and sun protection
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 2009-06-17 6:44 AM |
Champion  10618   |  Subject: Road rash and sun protectionAfter ten years of serious cycling without a crash, I had a real doozy on Saturday - separated shoulder, extensive road rash. I've done two small runs since, both without any sunblock, and am planning my first post-crash ride today, followed by another small run. The worst parts of the road rash FEEL like sunburn, and I don't want to make it any worse. But, do conventional sunblocks make a bigger mess of road rash, getting all gooped up in it? And maybe worse - do sunblocks sting enough to make this 60-year-old scream like a 6-year-old?? Normally I only use sunblock on my necks, ears, and around the armholes of whatever top I'm wearing. So, it's not as if I'm planning to cover every part of me with it; in fact, where I have road rash are places where I never apply sunblock. But now that a fair bit of my right side is raw, I'm wondering to what degree I should be protecting it. Anyhow, I have no idea what to do about this, so any advice from seasoned crashers will be greatly appreciated! Edited by stevebradley 2009-06-17 6:45 AM |
| 2009-06-17 10:59 AM in reply to: #2223356 |
Veteran 262  Sarasota, Florida | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection Please do not put sunblock directly over your road rash....you're just asking for an infection, or at the very least slowing down the rate of healing. If you want to protect it from the sun, and you have access to the materials, I'd first clean it thoroughly with soap and water, maybe a light film of antibiotic ointment, then cover with an occlusive dressing like tegaderm or biocclusive. After that just wear some sort of clothing over it to block the sun or wrap loosely with an ACE wrap (tensor wrap to yall north of the border) or something similar. If you don't have that occlusive dressing then suppose some regular gauze would work in a pinch, but you gotta be really careful when you take them off because it will stick and can start things bleeding again. Does sunblock sting in an open wound? No idea, but probably. |
| 2009-06-17 11:02 AM in reply to: #2224187 |
Champion 9060 Charlottesville, Virginia | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection yeah I used gauze type bandages over mine until it healed up enough. Was told by the Dr. to keep it completely out of the sun to reduce scarring. I am cringing just thinking about putting sunblock on it when it was still fresh... |
| 2009-06-17 11:17 AM in reply to: #2223356 |
Champion 4835 Eat Cheese or Die | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection I'd cover it while in the sun. Sun will make the scarring worse. These are great for holding a dressing on the road rash http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100957&navAction=j... |
| 2009-06-18 6:53 AM in reply to: #2224187 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection Many thanks for the replies, you three! I've been using Polysporin Complete since it happenes saturday, and yesterday I augmented that with Tegaderm on some of the nastier parts; the one on the hip is the most problematic, coming into contact with clothing. I have taken daily baths with Epsom salts, and try to work the areas with soap, without making myself any more miserable than I have to be! Again, thanks! |
| 2009-06-18 8:54 AM in reply to: #2223356 |
Extreme Veteran 495 Denton | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection Definitely find some way to cover it up - I didn't after my last crash, and I now have some pretty noticeable scars to show for it. However, as aforementioned, rubbing just about anything into an open wound is just asking for trouble. |
| 2009-06-18 9:25 AM in reply to: #2223356 |
Member 54 | Subject: RE: Road rash and sun protection Use 2nd skin and then wrap it! 2nd skin leaves minimal scaring and helps to protect it. I had a bad fall rollerblading years ago and used 2nd skin and have no scaring anymore |
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