My scab from a bike accident is brushed off, now its red and pink with some

[dumbledories]

liquid on it what should i do?
Of course I know to ignore it and let it heal. But it got brushed of accidentally as I tried to put my shirt on. The problem is what do I do now?

 

[answerme1]

Sounds like your wound isn't still fully healed even though the scab is off. Did you actually pull it off or did it fall off naturally?

I know it's tempting, but always leave a scab ON until it falls off on its own. It's there for a reason--the wound underneath is still open and exposed to some degree as it heals. Also, the skin may still be raw and traumatized from the original accident.

The scab is also there to help protect it from further injury or bacterial exposure. Think of a scab as a kind of natural or self-made "human band aid" that didn't cost you anything at the pharmacy.

At any rate, now that the scab is off, you can wash the area with a mild soap and then pat it dry. You can also just use plain water to wipe the area clean, then pat it dry.

To help it "breathe" and dry out further you don't always need to put another band aid on--as long as you can keep it clean and dry and not exposed to dirt or germs.

And NO scratching. It's gonna' itch for a while as the skin heals and re-grows new cells to cover the wounded area. Scratching just buys you an infection, longer healing time, more ouchiness, more or real pain/discomfort.

If the area seems "wet" or constantly oozing, you need to wipe it dry and then either put a gauze pad or band aid on it. It wouldn't hurt either to put a medicated ointment or spray on it at that time (like Neosporin)

Check the wound and change the bandage for a fresh one every day or two if it seems to be pretty wet still. Monitoring like this helps you confirm that it's really healing up and drying out.

If, instead, the skin is really red (inflammation) and/or hurts, if it's still constantly wet, if the fluid is at all "cloudy" (pus) instead of clear--these are inindications of infection and you need to step up the care. You'll absolutely need to use a medicated ointment or spray.

And,...you got it... keep it covered with gauze or a band aid. Check back in in a day or so to see how it's progressed.