i got bit by a dog on my thumb, and i think i needed stitches, but i didn't get them. almost a week later, and the cut doesn't seem to be closing very good. should i be worried?
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what happens to a cut that needs stitches, but you don't get them?
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thanks. i try to keep pouring peroxide on it, and change bandages frequently with neosporin on them
Save the peroxide. Go with plain soap and water. Peroxide really isn't doing you any favors.
When I was younger, my rottweiler jumped and managed to nick a piece of skin below my eye off. I apparently needed three stitches but never got them. Now it looks as if there is a small dent where the dog got me.
I ripped open my finger in a freak accident years ago and had to get 16 stitches; if i didn't get the I would have half of a pointer finger on my right hand.
I ripped open my finger in a freak accident years ago and had to get 16 stitches; if i didn't get the I would have half of a pointer finger on my right hand.
In Mexico, I dove off a waterfall into 2 feet of water, and it split my chin right open. Definitely 100% needed stitches, but instead we put a butterfly bandage on it very tightly, and superglued the bandage on.
Now, 5 years later, you can't tell it was ever there. (I also have a beard, but even without it, there's really no scar)
Now, 5 years later, you can't tell it was ever there. (I also have a beard, but even without it, there's really no scar)
You will get a scar when i sliced my finger open working on a computer one day the top half of the skin on my finger was just hanging i just like put it back on and bandaged it. now it's scared
If you aren't positive that the dog has had its rabies shots, you need to get to a hospital NOW. If you get rabies, you will die.
EDIT: I see this happened a week ago... nevermind then...
If you have a wound that isn't healing, then you should be seen by a doctor, not the MacRumors forum.
EDIT: I see this happened a week ago... nevermind then...
If you have a wound that isn't healing, then you should be seen by a doctor, not the MacRumors forum.
I was cutting an avocado. You know how when you split the avocado the seed comes out in one half, and you "chop" the knife into the seed to get the seed out?
Well, on this particular night, the knife went right through the seed, through the edge of the avocado, and through about half of my thumb, hitting the bone. It bled like I didn't think it would ever quit.
I ended up putting on one of those clear rubber bandages that look like a "second skin" and leaving it there for about two weeks. Why? Because I took it off after a week and it was still bleeding.
That was about eight years ago. The scar is still visible, and it took about two months for the nerves to grow back, but otherwise my thumb is just fine.
Well, on this particular night, the knife went right through the seed, through the edge of the avocado, and through about half of my thumb, hitting the bone. It bled like I didn't think it would ever quit.
I ended up putting on one of those clear rubber bandages that look like a "second skin" and leaving it there for about two weeks. Why? Because I took it off after a week and it was still bleeding.
That was about eight years ago. The scar is still visible, and it took about two months for the nerves to grow back, but otherwise my thumb is just fine.
It doesn't look too bad from the pic you posted. The best you can do is keep it clean an covered. I've unfortunately let two cuts that needed stitches go unstitched. The worst was one I got in March this year. It didn't look deep... it took about a month to fully heal and only recently has all the pain gone away.
That was incredibly stupid. Beyond the fact that you didn't get stitches, you can contract rabies.
Nor is the Neosporin.
A wound left open is less likely to get infected than a wound that's been closed, and if it's not infected a week later, it's not going to get infected. From the picture, I can see that it's not infected. Keep it wrapped with a bandaid. Keep it clean with soap and water. It will heal fine.
It runs across a joint...that's the reason it's buckling a little.
I don't mean anything by this, but what do you know about it? (Honest question, you a doc or something?)
More common sense from people that have gotten a lot of wounds in the past.
It is a dog bite, if it was infected from the bite, it would likely have been red and swollen after 1 week.
Still, doesn't mean that you cannot get an infection from not keeping the wound clean/treated or failing to cut away the dead skin from the skin flap as the wound heals.
If you think there is a possibility you have been bitten by a rabid animal you should go straight to the hospital.
thanks for the replies. i went to bed last night without a bandage (i forgot), and this morning there seems to be more blood around it.
Am I correct in saying that it looks like you have a "flap" of skin going on there?
It will heal on its own eventually, but since it is in a place that you use a lot and gets bumped a lot it might take a bit longer than you would expect. A product I would suggest using is new-skin. Its great for things on places where bandaids don't really like to stay on well.
It will heal on its own eventually, but since it is in a place that you use a lot and gets bumped a lot it might take a bit longer than you would expect. A product I would suggest using is new-skin. Its great for things on places where bandaids don't really like to stay on well.
I'd be more worried about a Staph infection than rabies -- high-school athlete next town over had a cut about your size and has been in the hospital for months on IV antibiotics. So far, he's surgically lost both legs and a lot of muscle tissue in an attempt to stop the infection. GO SEE AN M.D.!!!
I've had Staph. It's bad, but that sounds more like it was the kind you get in a locker room - which is worse than everyday Staph (it lives on your skin), but not yet MRSA.
If it were Staph, you'd know by now.