intersting article on saddle sores-

[marni]

Numbing the Crash and Saddle Sore Pain
Road racers and mountain bikers carry a plastic bottle of spray-on Bactine in their gear bags. This comes in handy to flush a wound with the antiseptic spray action and it also contains Lidocaine which is a topical pain reliever. Once the topical pain reliever goes into action, it is less painful to scrub the wound to remove debris.
One cyclist sprayed Bactine on the pad of his chamois where a saddle sore had formed the week before. The numbing action on the saddle sore helped him get through a race that would have been much more painful without the topical pain reliever.
More: Preventing Saddle Sores

An Alternative Topical Pain Reliever
Advertised for burns, scalds and sunburns, BurnJelPlus is also a topical pain reliever. Similar to Bactine, it also contains Lidocaine as a topical pain reliever. In addition to Lidocaine, BurnJelPlus contains tea tree oil. This natural oil is said to have antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. A light application of the gel over the wound is an alternative other traditional antibacterial ointments. Be sure to cover it with a protective bandage to block dirt.

This is an extract from the Active.com/biking website.

[lauraelmore1033]

Having just seen my DR after I had to cut the STP short at mile 143 because of saddle sores, I would advise caution about riding with open wounds in the saddle region. I'm now taking antibiotics for Cellulitis and the Dr says there is a danger of the infection spreading to the lymph nodes, (which are very close to the wound) and from there into the bloodstream. Really bad news if that happens.

[AppleTree]

Having just seen my DR after I had to cut the STP short at mile 143 because of saddle sores, I would advise caution about riding with open wounds in the saddle region. I'm now taking antibiotics for Cellulitis and the Dr says there is a danger of the infection spreading to the lymph nodes, (which are very close to the wound) and from there into the bloodstream. Really bad news if that happens.

Sorry to hear that lauraelmore, hope you have a fast recovery.