I will start out by saying that beyond my standard first aid, I have no formal training in fixing up cuts and abrasions from going down on a bike. I have however crashed, and have accumulated some experience
with Tegaderm that might be useful the next time you hit the deck.
What is it?
Tegaderm is a new generation wound dressing from 3M, that happens to look a lot like expensive saran wrap. You can get all of the details here.
It works to keep the wound moist, which is the key to quick healing, and it really lowers your chances of scarring, which is great (unless of course you are going for that sort of thing)!
How do you get it?
This is kind of a specialty product, so it can be hard to find at normal drug stores. I have always been able to find it at Shoppers Home Health.
One of the benefits of buying it at Shoppers Home Health is that you can buy single sheets, in several different sizes (Drugstores sell it in boxes of 6 in a single size). Because of the high techness of Tegaderm, it is a little expensive, bigger sheets are about $2, but you normally only need 1 or 2 to completely heal some road rash, so it is worth it.
How do you use it?
I always find that it is easiest to start by taking a shower to clean to wound, and the skin around it. Tegaderm won’t stick very well if you shower riht after application, I think that it takes some time for the stickiness to really set in.
After the shower, it is really important to clean the wound REALLY well. This is probably going to hurt, and be gross, but it is worth it in the long run. Sterile gauze and baby shampoo works to scrub it all out (The baby shampoo part comes from Andy Pruitt’s Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists, a great reference for all your aches and pains).
Once you that all of the dirt is out, dry all of the skin around to wound, this helps the Tegaderm stick. Do not apply any ointments, they are not necessary when using Tegaderm. The sheet will have a paper outline on one side. This side goes away from the skin. Hold the paper part, and stretch the sheet slightly. Then you can slap it on. Just make sure you smooth out the edges.
….and The RESULTS!
Tegaderm works well for road rash. The one downside is that for the first few days the oozing tends to exceed the capacity of the sheet, and you can get some leakage. If it is bad, cover it lightly with gauze for absorbing, this also makes it slightly more presentable, since the sheets are see through. If the oozing is really bad, you will probably need to change the sheet after a couple of days. Otherwise leave the sheet on for as long as possible to limit the chances of infection.
I recommend Tegaderm, it is magical!
