Does anyone have some "anti-battle-scar" healing methods??

[Lise]

Okay, what do you mean scrub? How do you scrub an open wound?

For me, this wasn't as grotesque as it sounds. But it was bad enough. The wound was really dirty, because I'd fallen on sidewalk and scraped the skin off. First I rinsed it with water, then cut away the frayed edges with a nail clipper I'd cleaned with rubbing alcohol. Then I used wet cotton pads with a bit of soap to get the dirt out. I wanted to puke. I can take care of other peoples' wounds, but my own make me feel really pukey. But I thought, "You can do it, Lise, or you can go to the ER. And won't you feel stupid going to the ER for an infected boo-boo?" So I kept at it until there was no more visible dirt. I think at some point I used a clean, alcohol-rinsed tooth brush. Then I rinsed it again with water, applied pressure where it was still bleeding, put some triple antibiotic ointment on a sterile pad, covered the wound, and wrapped my leg in tape to keep it in place. I may have rinsed it with hydrogen peroxide, too. I've heard in the past year that this actually causes more trauma...can't remember if I learned this before that fall and restrained myself or not.

I don't know that this was the best way to do it, but I knew I had to get the dirt and dead skin out before it got infected.