I took a spill a couple weeks ago and got some road rash on my knee and shoulder. I've been using tegardem and it seems to be healing well, but the new skin is really sensitive to sun and I can't really rub on some sunscreen (or maybe I should just cowboy up and rub in some sunscreen?). I'm doing a century with my wife this weekend (Hotter than Hell) that looks like a long day - her target is 6 hr ride time. I think my shoulder will be OK, I'll just wear a sleeved jersey so all of the fresh skin is covered. My knee though, I'm a little concerned about. Any ideas on what I can put on it to the new skin from getting burned and doing even more damage to it? Normal bandages don't stay on for any length of time with all of the bending and sweating.
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Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
If it's not a festering wound but you just don't want to rub your hands all over it, maybe some of the spray-on sunblock would work.
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
I went down on the 13th. Today was the first day I've gone without any dressings.
My doc told me to use a triple antibiotic OINTMENT with lidocaine. It's good stuff. I'd put tha ton there before I sprayed any sunscreen. If not, I suspect the sunscreen will light you up!
Good luck.
My doc told me to use a triple antibiotic OINTMENT with lidocaine. It's good stuff. I'd put tha ton there before I sprayed any sunscreen. If not, I suspect the sunscreen will light you up!
Good luck.
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
You're right that bandages or other types of dressings won't stay on. I had a crash earlier this summer and raced a 70.3 a few weeks later. The wound was still open and had to keep it occlusive for the swim, which it was but after the bike I was all sweaty. The wound got a little macerated. I know a few wound care nurses so I had access to all sorts of dressings.
Since the wound is closed, why don't you try leg cooling sleeves. I use arm coolers all the time for races (IM and HIM) and haven't had a sun burn yet. Maybe put some vaseline, aquafor, chamois cream, etc. to prevent chafing. New skin is friable.
Since the wound is closed, why don't you try leg cooling sleeves. I use arm coolers all the time for races (IM and HIM) and haven't had a sun burn yet. Maybe put some vaseline, aquafor, chamois cream, etc. to prevent chafing. New skin is friable.
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
The fish net bandage sleeve material you see during stage races like TdF works pretty good at the knee to hold bandages or gauze or even tegaderm in place along with some tape. 6 hours will be a challenge.
Re: Road rash sun protection [SummitAK]
[ In reply to ]
What is that fish net wrap called? I couldn't find any in the bandaid section when I was looking around out of curiosity.
Re: Road rash sun protection [BKyle]
[ In reply to ]
This?
http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medicine/first-aid/bandages/cvs-elastic-stretch-net-5-yd-prodid-894117
http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medicine/first-aid/bandages/cvs-elastic-stretch-net-5-yd-prodid-894117
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
Rub a Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide sunblock over it (the stuff lifeguards put on their nose). They are opaque and don't sting.
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Fashion colors to match your kit are optional:
ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Re: Road rash sun protection [BKyle]
[ In reply to ]
I think hubcaps nailed it in the post above. Probably hit or miss whether stocked in a given pharmacy.
Re: Road rash sun protection [Titanflexr]
[ In reply to ]
Titanflexr wrote:
Rub a Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide sunblock over it (the stuff lifeguards put on their nose). They are opaque and don't sting.I'd do this. Zinc Oxide is also used in diaper rash products, and I've used it to heal and protect skin-on-skin chafing.
There are also "skin cooler" type sleeves for legs with UPF 50+ sun protection, if you have time to get one of those. In dry air, they work well to keep you cool. Not quite as good in really humid places, but they still work.
Tegaderm is great, isn't it?? Love that stuff. And yeah, wear a UPF 50+ jersey over it.
<The Dew Abides>
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
Diddy,
Try Fixamol, its an adhesive stretchy material covering that will keep most of the UV off, but will allow any fluid to seep through. Regardless of getting wet or exercising, its pretty much the best stuff to put over road rash.
I came off by bike and put big hole in my hip and shin 2 weeks out from a 70.3, and this stuff lasted fine under the wetty, under the suit and exposed to air. Its really useful stuff to have around the house.
Try Fixamol, its an adhesive stretchy material covering that will keep most of the UV off, but will allow any fluid to seep through. Regardless of getting wet or exercising, its pretty much the best stuff to put over road rash.
I came off by bike and put big hole in my hip and shin 2 weeks out from a 70.3, and this stuff lasted fine under the wetty, under the suit and exposed to air. Its really useful stuff to have around the house.
Re: Road rash sun protection [Z28Diddy]
[ In reply to ]
I had severe road rash after a crash back in 2000, just a week before IMNZ.
I took a large dose of Rule #5 and slapped on sunscreen to my leg, elbow and shoulder. Running off the bike seemed way easier than usual, but I was already crying like a little girl, thanks to the fresh sunscreen on my week old road rash.
My arm now has a white patch where freckles don't grow, but other than that, 100% recovery and a lover of Rule #5 :-)
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
I took a large dose of Rule #5 and slapped on sunscreen to my leg, elbow and shoulder. Running off the bike seemed way easier than usual, but I was already crying like a little girl, thanks to the fresh sunscreen on my week old road rash.
My arm now has a white patch where freckles don't grow, but other than that, 100% recovery and a lover of Rule #5 :-)
TriDork
"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm going to try to find some of the bandages and stuff everyone mentioned at CVS tonight. I'll just buy a few of them and see what I think will work. I rode last night, but of course was out of time to go find stuff before that. So I just pulled the tegaderm off and smeared sunscreen on top. That at least worked for a short ride, good to know at the very least I should be able to get sunscreen at the stops as a last resort!
Btw, I've been using tegaderm from the day after the accident and am very happy with how it has worked and how quickly it has seemed to heal.
Btw, I've been using tegaderm from the day after the accident and am very happy with how it has worked and how quickly it has seemed to heal.