wound treatment ideas

I'm new to the forum, although not new to picking. I have struggled with this off-and-on for years now. I found this site awhile back and have found it to be a terrific resource for support, information, and advice. I've lurked for awhile now, but thought I'd address an issue that seems underrepresented here: wound care. There's lots of good advice about stopping the picking habit, but for those of us who continually "fall off the wagon," how can you minimize the damage you've already done? I'm not an expert in health care, but my suggestions here are a mixture of research, helpful hints I've found on this site, and lots of trial and error. I hope this helps you, too. The picking process: obviously the best option here is to stop the behavior altogether. Most of us, though, find ourselves doing okay for awhile and then something triggers a picking frenzy. If you do find yourself at that point, the goal is to minimize infection which, of course, can exacerbate the problem. I keep hydrogen peroxide and individual alcohol swabs (cheap and available at any drugstore) handy to sterilize whatever tools I'm using. If you can't resist the urge to pick, at least be sure to clean your needle, tweezers, etc., between every pick (not just between sessions). This not only minimizes transfer infection, but the disinfecting process will slow down the picking process which interrupts the "picking trance" and offers more opportunity to just step away from the mirror. The aftermath: If you find yourself humming along to "Oops, I did it again" the goal now is to prevent infection, encourage healing, and minimize scarring. Some cleansing agents I've found useful can be located in the first aid section of any drug store. I use a sting-free saline spray (in a pressurized can) that cleans and flushes the wound. Be warned that the saline comes out hard/fast so it's likely to spray everywhere. Then I follow up with a sting-free antibiotic rinse (Band Aid makes one but you might find a generic). While this sounds like it would hurt, the saline and antibiotic rinse are truly sting free. DON"T use alcohol because it hurts and avoid peroxide on the wound itself because it will necrotize some of the soft tissue (turning it white). Healing: Nothing beats polysporin (or any triple antibiotic ointment) for healing and minimizing scar formation. Slather it on, then cover immediately with a breatheable bandage (esp. at night). This keeps the ointment from coming off on your pillow and allows for continual healing. I'll do this, too, when I'm at home which then has the added benefit of preventing access to the wound for more picking. I also have a prescription for clindamycin--both as a gel and oral antibiotic. These are meds targeted specifically for facial infection, and they are awesome. (if I can restrain from picking) Scars: Like most of us, I have the tell-tale discolorations of past indiscretions. I've tried several scar minimizers out there but the one I've found most helpful, inexpensive, and pleasant to use is made by Ambi called "Even and Clear." It comes in a tube and the cream absorbs quickly (not greasy or sticky) and smells like cocoa butter. I'm also trying a new treatment for some of my old hard, raised scars. It's a clear, brush-on liquid called "Scarguard MD" that I found at CVS. It's expensive, though ($30). I'll let you know how it works. However, using polysporin and keeping the wound soft should help to minimize thick, sub-dermal scarring. Bandages: My picking centers on my neck and jawline from pre-menopausal acne. (Up until 4 years ago, I've always had beautiful skin). I'm a teacher, so hiding at home isn't an option. Two bandages that have worked well for me are the Band Aid clear "spots" (DO NOT use the generic of this) for home use or places under my jaw that aren't easily seen. For places that are front and center on my face, I use the tiny Nexcare waterproof bandages because the adhesive is truly clear and very, very thin. You can even dab concealer on it and powder to minimize the appearance. If I'm really desperate, I'll even use a large bandage and cut out a small adhesive circle (with no pad) to place directly on the wound so it appears flat. It's not perfect, but it's much less visible than a regular bandage. One caveat, though: Although the waterproof adhesive does allow for makeup on top, it will not allow the wound to breathe. You may find after a couple of hours that the wound will seep from the bandage. Yuck. Obviously this is not healthy for the wound. So I'll wear it while I teach, then go back to my office and take it off, rinse with saline, and then treat with polysporin. It's not great, but it's better than having an open face wound or re-infecting it with makeup. Okay, those are my suggestions--for whatever they're worth. Sorry for the length of this post, but lots of info here that I hope will help others struggling with this problem. Personally, I pray you kick the habit and never have to use these steps at all. Until then, maybe you can find something useful here. Hang in there, friends!