I cut the tip of my thumb while cooking!

tbloxham

Not all the way through or anything, but enough to chop into the fleshy part at the end, and leave a C shaped flap of skin. Its probably about 1/4 inch into the flesh, but the flap is only maybe 1/10 inch thick at the thickest, if you see what I mean.

Now this happened two days ago, and it stopped bleeding promptly and everything and I put some neosporin on, and a band aid over it. Since then I've been changing the band aid every 12 hours and cleaning the area around the wound when I do, which is what I normally do when I have a cut. However since this cut is to my thumbtip clearly it moves around a lot, and the band aid doesn't fit very well, as such I worry that removing the sticky band aid every 12 hours is pulling apart the progress made in healing the wound. I notice that the band aids I am using (BAND-AID activ-Flex) actually state that they have properties that only begin work after 24 hours (forming some kind of protective under layer of gel) and that they can last the whole life of the wound without being changed.

The dressing certainly isn't dirty or wet, the wound doesn't hurt or throb, theres no swelling, and the thumb is fully mobile etc, and there is has been no sign of infection the previous times I've changed the dressing. Should I leave the band-aids on for say, 48 hours between changes to give the wound more time to knit?

Any Doctors, nurses or people who get lots of cuts who have an opinion?

FyreWulff

Not a doctor or nurse but usually you'd want to immobilize it by splinting it.

Demerdar

You need to let the cut breathe a little bit.

starmanbrand

Demerdar wrote: »

You need to let the cut breathe a little bit.

After working in kitchens I can tell you the only reason any of us kept a finger tip cut covered was if we were still cooking. Most handcuts I saw consistently bandaged were only there because they were in high traffic areas. The bandage was for padding rather than omg my boo boo.

Comahawk

It's likely been too long.

You may want to head to a hospital/clinic to have it checked out, however they may need to remove the flap because of the time that has passed. Had you gone sooner they would have effectively glued or stitched it back together.

I've seen many such injuries, it's part of the fun of being a cook. It doesn't sound like a whole lot of skin, so losing it won't be very noticeable. I've cut chunks out of my fingers before, very interesting when you do it with an ultra-sharp blade as there is no pain.

X3x3non

So the flap is still on? I can't really judge how big it is by reading your post but if possible I would just cut it off. Also, the best way to let anything heal is to let it breathe. If possible (like on tomorrow on Sunday, no work right?) walk barefoot without a bandaid and rest your foot as much as possible.

TL DR

X3x3non wrote: »

So the flap is still on? I can't really judge how big it is by reading your post but if possible I would just cut it off. Also, the best way to let anything heal is to let it breathe. If possible (like on tomorrow on Sunday, no work right?) walk barefoot without a bandaid and rest your foot as much as possible.

o_O

Stupid Human

I JUST did this myself (I also work in a kitchen). It's been about 6 days now and it's doing well. I kept it wrapped while I was at work then when i got home I cleaned it thoroughly and then put on some neosporin and a bandage. I let it breathe for about an hour or two during a mostly inactive part of my day (right before bed worked well for me, whenever you're not busy should work fine). If you only cut 1/10 of an inch in you shouldn't have cut into the meat of your thumb and there are very few blood vessels in the tip of your fingers anyway so bleeding shouldn't be an issue.

I also used a sports splint over it to keep it from suffering further trauma, and just wrapped it with some medical tape. I'm not sure what you have for first aid but they should be available at walmart/walgreens for cheap if you don't have them.

purplebubbles

I'm a nurse. I'd suggest that you try and get some steri-strips or butterfly clips to help secure the flap down in place to help it knit. ONLY if the flap becomes white, dry and doesn't look like that skin is alive any more should you remove it.

Bandaids really aren't ideal for cuts on the finger, you can buy square like dressings that wrap around better. It's important also that you don't air the wound out, especially if the cut is deep and you want the flap to heal with the wound. Wounds heal best when they are kept in a moist environment. Also - you risk infection by leaving it uncovered. When the wound has a chance to form a thick scab and it's starting to fall of is the time to uncover it.

Oh. It's also a great idea to just change the dressing as needed. If it's dry and intact, I'd just change it every second to third day, not letting it get any longer than three. As soon as you see blood, or that the dressing is lifting, then change it.

Trowizilla

I'd do a cross-bandaid, just to have the padding there. Put one bandaid on vertically with one sticky side over the nail and the padded part over the actual cut, then wrap another bandaid horizontally around the finger. That should stay on much better than one bandaid.

I wouldn't fuck with it too much. Put some neosporin on there and leave the bandaids on. If they get soggy, change them, but otherwise it's probably okay to leave them alone for a couple days.

Hobbit0815

Timothy Leary Come Check Out This Theory wrote: »

X3x3non wrote: »

So the flap is still on? I can't really judge how big it is by reading your post but if possible I would just cut it off. Also, the best way to let anything heal is to let it breathe. If possible (like on tomorrow on Sunday, no work right?) walk barefoot without a bandaid and rest your foot as much as possible.

o_O

I second that.

LewieP's Mummy

I frequently slice the end off one of my fingers - well, every 6 months or so, mainly when I'm slicing vegetables. I just clean it under the tap, wait til its stopped bleeding, then superglue the edges together. Works every time. So far, cos I clean it first, the cuts have never got infected, and the sliced off bit reattaches just fine.
I should add, its not painful, as I don't have much feeling in my left hand, I've a bunch of nerves missing.

delroland

A pic would be useful. If you post one, though, spoiler it.