I have a quick question. I just recently took a nasty slide on a dirt track while running a relay and I got a bit of "road rash" on my elbow. I washed it off and put some iodine on it at first and then I put some neosporin on it later. I thought it would heal up like any other wound, but for some reason something doesn't seem right. The outer edges of the scrape are healing up normally with scabs, but the inside is forming some weird yellow/whitish skin-like membrane. It isn't pus because it doesn't look anything like pus and it isn't sticky. also, there is no odor that would usually come from a bacterial infection. I felt the inner part and it feels like a scab just a little bit softer, but the coloration is really weird. Is this normal?

 

Use peroxide its getting infected.

 

If its rashed that bad, I would suggest covering it with some sort of bandage.

How long has it been? If its still oozing after a few days, you may need to get it checked out. If its just the soft spongy like material, your probably ok.

The main thing to watch for is swelling or rednish. If that happens, get to a doctors office as soon as you can. Infections have a way of spreading inward very fast, especially on joints.

 

+1 Followed by Neosporin or Bacitracin.

 

I don't understand why you wouldn't go to the hospital. Do you seriously not care that much about your body?

 

I don't feel I need to go to the hospital. I didn't fall on my bike I just took a slide on a dirt track from running..track specifically the 4x100 relay haha. Don't ask how I fell I really don't know =/ The scrape is only on my elbow and my hand. The one on my hand is healing well and is about 2 inches big. The scrape on my elbow is 3 inches. It has been 1 day since my fall. Also, no redness, swelling, or oozing, and no signs of an infection (to me) just this weird yellow/white scab-like thing. It looks almost like a scab, just different coloration.

 

I used to skateboard; got rashed up once in a while. They suck when they itch, but the scabs are fun to pick off, lol. Just keep it clean as mentioned above.

 

I got the same thing a couple of weeks ago. Laid my 900 down and ended up with both knees and left elbow scraped up. I went to the doctor a week after with the same yellow puss looking wound. Doc said it was fine, NOT to use non-stick gauze because it doesn't breath and absorb properly for road rash. The best thing I found was to let it air out on it's own uncovered. The only time i would put a bandage on is when I was wearing pants or a long shirt.
Peroxide creates more tissue damage as it wears away the good tissue. It's good for the inital cleaning, but soap and water is best after that. Use antibacterial soap.
It's been 5 weeks since my accident and I still have a little bit of a scab on my left knee. Other than that, everything is ok now.

 

Sounds like a normal healing process to me. Just keep an eye on it. my rash finally healed after 3 weeks. At one point its going to look pretty disgusting and ur gonna be tempted to poke at it. One morning I woke up and almost puked wen I looked at my knee

 

Hey man, been there, done that. Wait until you get spiked in the leg and then go down--it sucks, I promise. (Career XC and Track athlete--800 & 1600)

Judging from what you've said, this is what I would do:

1) Hydrogen Peroxide--it will sting just a little, but when you see all the white foam, you know it's killing all the bacteria and crap that got in there.

2) Neosporin--in addition to keeping the wound bacteria-free, most antibiotic ointment (especially Neosporin) helps promote tissue regrowth with minimal scarring.

3) Bandages--I'm not sure where you're from, weather, etc., but if you wear short sleeves most of the time I would leave it uncovered (but keep antibiotic ointment on it all the time!). The open air will help it heal faster. If you wear long sleeves, I would put a Band-Aid on it, or possibly a piece of gauze, then wrapped with an ACE bandage depending on the size of the wound. Leave it uncovered whenever you don't have sleeves over it.

4) This is a bit controversial--I prefer to pick the scab off occasionally and start from the beginning again, especially if I am uncomfortable with the way the wound appears to be healing (or not healing, as the case may be). Pick the scab off, use a Kleenex or something to soak up the blood (you need to keep pressure on it for 10-15 minutes--I would do it while watching a movie or something), and when it is mostly clotted, start from step #1 again. I've done this many, many times with all kinds of scrapes and cuts, with very pleasing results.

This is just what I typically do in similar situations, hope it helps
It does work, I can promise that much.