I Love Richard KHC
New member
About 12 days ago I noticed I had a small cut on my lower calf. I don't know how I did it, I think I must have banged across it with my other foot (shoe) when I clumsily hopped into the car because it was a few minutes later when I was driving that I noticed it. As far as cuts go, it is a very small one - maybe 1cm long and about 4mm wide. It seemed to be kind of a 'gouged' cut, deeper than your average scratch, but it only bled to the surface. Considering the small size of it, it was quite sore and I could feel it all the time for the first 48 hours or so.
I put Betadine on it the first night to prevent infection. The following night however, all of a sudden there was a red area around the cut about 2cm diameter. My family saw it and were a little concerned, so we put Betadine on it regularly for the next 48hrs, and at night I put a band-aid on it so I wouldn't bump it and irritate it as it was still tender. The third night I put a bandaid on it, I woke up with redness under the 'sticky' parts as well as around the cut. I have not worn anything on it for 7 days now, and it is still red - around the cut and where the bandaid was, same size and still very red around the sore. (have used betadine and bandaids for 20years and never had a problem so I don't think its allergy) The sore itself has a dark scab on it but it has not improved either. I thought it might be infected, but it is not very painful - if I bump it I can feel it, and its almost like there is a sensation there that I am aware of most of the time, but it is not painful or itchy.
Do you think it could still be infected? How long should I leave it to get better on its own? If it wasn't for the redness and the 'sensation' that it is there, I would not have even looked twice at it. But the redness is so noticeable I have had people at work comment on it. I wonder whether the circulation in my legs isn't great and worry that I might end up with an ulcer or something if it won't heal. Any help/advice appreciated. Thanks.
I put Betadine on it the first night to prevent infection. The following night however, all of a sudden there was a red area around the cut about 2cm diameter. My family saw it and were a little concerned, so we put Betadine on it regularly for the next 48hrs, and at night I put a band-aid on it so I wouldn't bump it and irritate it as it was still tender. The third night I put a bandaid on it, I woke up with redness under the 'sticky' parts as well as around the cut. I have not worn anything on it for 7 days now, and it is still red - around the cut and where the bandaid was, same size and still very red around the sore. (have used betadine and bandaids for 20years and never had a problem so I don't think its allergy) The sore itself has a dark scab on it but it has not improved either. I thought it might be infected, but it is not very painful - if I bump it I can feel it, and its almost like there is a sensation there that I am aware of most of the time, but it is not painful or itchy.
Do you think it could still be infected? How long should I leave it to get better on its own? If it wasn't for the redness and the 'sensation' that it is there, I would not have even looked twice at it. But the redness is so noticeable I have had people at work comment on it. I wonder whether the circulation in my legs isn't great and worry that I might end up with an ulcer or something if it won't heal. Any help/advice appreciated. Thanks.