# Tegaderm dressing



## Renard (4 Sep 2008)

Cut one of my knees when I was mountainbiking last weekend. Put a 3M tegaderm transparent dressing on my knee instead of mepore today and it has went all smelly. I was wondering why it was hurting and realised that it was all leaky. I have also been feeling a bit under the weather tonight. 

It says on their website that it is breathable and can be used on cuts and grazes. Any advice?


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## wafflycat (4 Sep 2008)

If you've gone septic, you'll likely need antibiotics. Get thee to a doc in the morning. In the meantime, you may need to clean it out by washing with very salty water (at least as salty as the sea). This works wonders. I did it on a nasty wound I had, after this was suggested by a doc - it did the trick nicely. *But go to a doc a.s.a.p.*


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## marinyork (4 Sep 2008)

I did my elbows in a month or so ago. Days of normal dressing and it got loads of scuff in and wasn't healing up at all. Got a duoderm on for 5 days which sorted one elbow out. The other one then got in more dressing for a few more days and started to smell again and is now airing, healing absurdly slowly. If you want it checking out the drop in centres are quite good. If you're worried you could go to the GPs and grovel like crazy for antibiotics.


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## tdr1nka (5 Sep 2008)

I posted this in Tea? but I thought it should get a proper airing, like your knee Ivan!

Ivan, can I make a suggestion of Tea Tree oil, either Nelson's cream or Thursday Plantation oil, for future ref.

Tea Tree oil is a natural, very strong antiseptic and also an astringent which helps dry the wound and lets it heal much quicker.
I use the oil on all my cuts, grazes, piercings and tattoos and swear by it and it should save the need for those anti biotics.


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## marinyork (5 Sep 2008)

Where do you get it from tdr1nka?


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## tdr1nka (5 Sep 2008)

Health food shops or Pharmacies are your best best.
My local S*insbury's stocks the cream, Nelson's do a whole range of natural and homeopathic stuff.
The cream is good for low level cuts and scuffs whereas the oil can be used neat on wounds like Ivan has got. It stings like hell BTW, like neat Dettol.

The problem with covering wounds, IMO, is that they stay wet which allows stuff to fester and then poison the wound.


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## marinyork (5 Sep 2008)

As for covering up I think tdr1nka is right. The derm is breathable but lifts the scuff but you have to take it off at the right point.


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## big guy on a bike (5 Sep 2008)

Film dressings such as tegaderm aren't totally breatheable, thus some smelly leakage. I'm a great fan of good old vaseline for grazes, and reapplied frequently. It works as an artificial scab. For deeper cuts, use steristrips. If it's getting worse, go to your pharmacy or doctor. P.S. It's my day job!


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## Renard (5 Sep 2008)

Thanks guys. Put a mepore dressing on last night after giving it a good clean out with germolene antiseptic spray. Seems to have benefited from the more breathable dressing.


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## slowfen (5 Sep 2008)

One of the problems with the occlusive film(3M)/hydrocolloid(eg duoderm) dressings is that they can not only smell, but also stink. This leads to the situation where unless you use them regularly you don't know what is acceptable and what is not. 

Hydrocolloids should not be used on any infected wound, and with great care by diabetics


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## tdr1nka (5 Sep 2008)

I wouldn't suggest using tea tree oil/cream on already infected wounds, only that I have found it works wonders if used in the initial cleaning or covering of the wound.


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## Riding in Circles (6 Sep 2008)

You may be allergic to the adhesive, I find that some adhesive dressings do this to me but others don't.


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## Renard (11 Sep 2008)

*An update*

Just back from the casualty. Ended up getting the wound trimmed so smell might not've been down to the dressing after all


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