Is this an infection??

Question:

i fell down on monday and scraped my hip (i was wearing a jean skirt and somehow it got scraped, friction burn?). it looked very irritated and scraped so i put neosporin on it. i put neosporin on it daily and covered the wound with a large gauze pad to tape it in place. it is thrusday, and my wound looks better visually (not as red) but the wound itself is puffy and i noticed a prominant yellowish/brown discharge on the gauze (it seeped through the gauze). also, there is this semi white film on the wound so i was wondering is this a scab forming or is this infection? also, do you think i should just air out the wound? i have not aired it out since i recieved this wound

Answers:
NO, it is NOT an infection. With a scrape, a lot of times you get that oozing if you immediately coat it with something as you did. The oozing is plasma. It's a part of your blood. Your blood is trying to get white cells there to heal things up. Sounds like you exposed some nerve endings as well. All completely normal.

The semi white film is actually skin cells that have stayed wet. The wound is trying to heal, the the environment is too wet.

Leave the bandages and Neosporin off, let it air dry without cloth on it at all if you can, and just wear normal clothing as always.It will form the scab as it dries and heal as scrapes normally do.

Neosporin is not a bad first response; even your doctor will tell you so, especially if you could have gotten fabric fibers, dirt, other crap from the area you fell on it. But now it's time to let it dry out and heal.

the sepage could be puss? does it hurt? if your unsure talk to a doc etc..
A little air would help.

YIKES! Do not ever ever ever ever use neosporin. Your best bet is to clean it very good with an antibacterial soap and then let it air out.without the bandaid!

I think you need to go to a doctor and have it checked but yeah it sounds like an infection especially if it is seeping anything,

There absolutly nothing wrong with neosporin if there were the FDA would pull it. The wound needs to air out. The symptoms you are describing are normal healing. If you are still concerned go see your doctor, that is what they are there for.

its not infection its jz the process of wound heeling.you can try to clean your wound with chlorhexidine from inside to outer of the wound to prevent infection..change the wound regularly.

Leave the dressing and ointment off. You just need to clean in twice a day with antibacterial soap when you shower. Otherwise leave it alone. It needs air to breathe and heal.

Listen to PIN they've got it covered..just watch what you have touching it when you let it dry so that you don't get fibres into it. Still watch for infection though as long as the wound is still open it can happen so keep is as clean as possible.

Is this an infection??

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