Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Redness And Pain In The Hands
Question: While doing yard work a few days ago, I scratched my palm with XXXXXXX surface. I thought it was just a scratch but I feel the skin is getting red and hurting.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I see a small dark pink area near the center of the picture. Please let me know if you are referring to something else.
One of the best ways to prevent bacterial soft tissue infection is if you can nip it in the bud early by doing hot soaks or applying a hot wet compress multiple times/day. As it is on your hand, it will be fairly easy to run hot water (not so hot you burn yourself) on it for several minutes a few times/day.
The heat works by brining more white blood cells to the area to fight infection. It also works by raising the skin temperature and making it less hospitable for bacteria that prefer skin temp. for multiplication.
Make sure that you don't have a foreign body under the skin though. For that, and if the red area starts to expand significantly and get redder, hotter, and more tender, then go in to urgent care, your doctor, or ER depending on the time of day. For that you will need an oral antibiotic.
But if you get it early, heat can stop small skin infections.
At night you can put a dab of Zinc oxide ointment on it to help it heal (you can get this at any drug store). But this isn't essential. Or you can you an antibacterial ointment such as Neosporin.
So do heat it up (but don't burn); and watch carefully for signs of increasing infection as described above.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I see a small dark pink area near the center of the picture. Please let me know if you are referring to something else.
One of the best ways to prevent bacterial soft tissue infection is if you can nip it in the bud early by doing hot soaks or applying a hot wet compress multiple times/day. As it is on your hand, it will be fairly easy to run hot water (not so hot you burn yourself) on it for several minutes a few times/day.
The heat works by brining more white blood cells to the area to fight infection. It also works by raising the skin temperature and making it less hospitable for bacteria that prefer skin temp. for multiplication.
Make sure that you don't have a foreign body under the skin though. For that, and if the red area starts to expand significantly and get redder, hotter, and more tender, then go in to urgent care, your doctor, or ER depending on the time of day. For that you will need an oral antibiotic.
But if you get it early, heat can stop small skin infections.
At night you can put a dab of Zinc oxide ointment on it to help it heal (you can get this at any drug store). But this isn't essential. Or you can you an antibacterial ointment such as Neosporin.
So do heat it up (but don't burn); and watch carefully for signs of increasing infection as described above.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
