Burn reliefG??

Marguerite

Active Member
You haven;t posted yet. Or I couldn't find it.

I stumbled on my dressings (wish I could send them to you!) from the last weeks of my radiation treatment and it reminded me of some of the problems with dressings and bad burns.
I also compared notes with other cancer patients, including some who were really suffering with bad burns.
What seemed to be the consensus - if you bathe it, use tepid water. Don't use any warmth (I had my treatment over winter - cold showers in winter, not nice!). I tended to use warmer water on the rest of me and then gently pour tepid water over the burned area. Finally the bath was easier than a shower.

Next - dressings. I sprayed on water with a little aloe vera in it. I did not wipe the area at all, but let it air-dry. Don't even pat dry. Next - I was given some gel dressings which were really good. I put a gel burn ointment (given to me by the hospital ONTO THE DRESSING. Do not apply the stuff to the skin, you will put too much pressure on the blistered skin and take it off. I then gently laid the dressing onto the blistered area, then used a dry gauze to cover it. I used disposable breast pads, stuck to the inside of my clothing, to hold the dressings in place. For a long burn you could stick a sanitary pad to the inside of your clothing, and let that hold the dressings in place.

When you can get to a doctor, or emergency room. The risk of infection is too high.

You can also, especially in a pinch, use honey as a burn ointment. Again, put it on the dressing and not directly on the skin. You can be rougher with the dressing, smearing it carefully all over, then apply it to the skin and let it stick itself there.

Go carefully when changing dressings. You are at high risk for pulling off the blistered skin. I had a patch that did just this - I had been given a dry dressing to cover the blisters and the blister had burst and glued itself to the dressing. When I tried to remove it, the skin all came away and the wound began to bleed. It hurt a lot too. My GP changed that dressing and showed me how to do the wet dressings.

Watch yourself for signs of fever. Also keep your fluid intake up. If/when those blisters burst then your body loses fluid through the blistered area.

Oh, the best honey to use (if you have a choice) is stuff from an apiarist. Not the pasteurised stuff from the supermarket. But use what you have. Even candied honey is OK, but definitely do not put it onto your skin first, trying to spread it will drag.

Let us know how you are.

Marg
 
Top