You are reading a single comment by @Death_at_Altitude and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@Death_at_Altitude
Oh my days, I had no idea this was a thread... My absolute favourite topic! (I've had more than my fair share over the years...) Had two really, really big crashes and a couple of smaller ones at HHV. My scar collection is really quite something. Here's what I've learned from nurses over the years.
In my experience, hydrocolloid dressings are crap on larger/deeper patches. The goo has nowhere to go and you end up having to replace the dressing every 2 days, which, at damn near a fiver a pop is a bit rich. Also, had a big bit on my hip, and took 3 weeks to heal with those on. That was expensive as I was a starving artist at the time.
You need to treat them like a burn, so you need a mesh contact layer, then a low adhesive asborbent pad on top which you can replace as it gets gunked up, while keeping the same contact layer in place. The mesh works wonders as it pretty much turns the scabs from one big one into hundreds of tiny ones, which all heal individually.
This is the good shit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mepitel-ME290500-Silicone-Contact-Technology/dp/B075RCRDDB
This is the more affordable shit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atrauman-Tulle-7-5-10cm-Dressing/dp/B07ZQHWZPV
Then tape some of these on top with surgical tape: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Value-Aid-Adherent-Dressing-Pads/dp/B07K7M256G
And finally, if it's to a leg or arm, get a tubular bandage over the top of it. You can buy individual ones at most pharmacies, but they'll get icky and you'll have to replace them often, so best to buy a roll of the stuff.
Finally, you can buy all of this stuff, or (pre-covid, at least) you can book a nurse's appointment at your GP and they'll give it all to you for free.
Dressings were off from the attached picture in 10 days (snapped a chain at 50kph in a team pursuit, and used my leg as a brake. Welt on the top of my foot is from where the track ripped my shoe off!)
1 Attachment