REMEMBER!
Even in the Winter, burned skin is sensitive and can hyper-pigment in the sun. Wear sun-screen or a SPF enriched face cream as part of your daily routine!
Showing posts with label burn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label burn. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Winter Sun Protection
REMEMBER!
Even in the Winter, burned skin is sensitive and can hyper-pigment in the sun. Wear sun-screen or a SPF enriched face cream as part of your daily routine!
ReCell - a new 'scar-spray' treatment from Avita Medical
Luckily for me, my Mum was tuned into BBC1's 'Inside Out' East this week and came across a fantastic new treatment for scars that I'm very excited about!
The treatment works by harvesting a tiny patch of skin from your body. The area selected will have a similar colour and texture to the area you are trying to fix. The piece of skin is put in a little machine that whizzes it round and pulls all your cells off the skin. While this is being done, laser dermabrasion is used on your scarring to flatten it. The skin cells from the 'whizzed up' harvested skin are collected and suspended in a clear fluid. This fluid is sprayed onto the dermabraded area of your scarring and then it's all covered up. In 7 days, your skin cells will have begun to grow your own skin, right over the scarred area. Once the skin has settled (and I know from experience I'm in the early days, this can take 2 years) you could have your normal pigmentation and texture back in your scarred area. In effect you have used 'spray on skin' to grow your own skin back. The skin will even have melolin in it, so it will no longer be as sun-sensitive as normal scarring and will have 'normal' pigmentation.
According to Avita Medical: 'Tissue collection, cell segregation and preparation of the cell suspension takes approximately 20-30 minutes in total during which time the treatment area is prepared. Once processed, the cell suspension is available for immediate use and can cover a treatment area up to 80 times the area of the donor biopsy.'
It can also be used to help donor sites heal after a skin graft. This would be a great use of the procedure. My donor site didn't heal well at all and took several weeks of agony before it finally decided to grow new skin. The skin is still very discoloured due to the slow healing. A treatment like this may have helped avoid such a horrible situation.
The makers of the treatment have also used it on smaller burns when they are new, to help them heal.
It sounds too good to be true!!! It's worth watching it on Inside Out, as you can see the treatment in action.
INSIDE OUT EAST - VIDEO LINK - click here
I'm very excited by this procedure as it means that after my (long and dreary) 2 year wait, if I'm not happy with my 'natural' results, I might be able to improve them. At this point, if someone told me what I have now is what I will be left with, I would freak out. I am planning to heal well but sometimes, the body has other ideas! It's nice to know there are treatments like this coming out.
If anyone knows more about this treatment or has had it themselves, please could you send me an email or drop a comment in the box below? It would be great to hear some first hand experiences. Thanks!
AVITA MEDICAL
WARNING: There are a few pictures on the Medical Site that might turn your stomach if you are, like me, sensitive to burn pictures.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Remember, remember the 5th of November, fireworks, bonfires and accidents...
We all love loud, unpredictable explosions, don't we?
There is no reason why Fireworks Night can't be enjoyed by all. However, as someone on the receiving end of an explosion related accident, I can't help but stress that fireworks may be fun BUT they are also unpredictable, explosive devices.
A factsheet from the Child Accident Prevention Trust has some alarming statistics on it.
*Great Britain - in the four weeks surrounding Bonfire Night 2001, 1362 people
were treated in hospital casualty departments after an accident involving a
firework.
*685 children under 16 were treated in hospital for injuries caused by fireworks.
*Many more boys than girls were injured by fireworks– particularly in the 12 to 15 age group.
* Sparklers burn at a temperature of approx 2000 degrees! They cause a large number of accidents with young children being particularly at risk.
*Common injuries are to the hands (34%), face (12%), and eyes (17%)
*Over 60 per cent of injuries require ongoing treatment from a GP or hospital
and may leave permanent scarring.
Fireworks and bonfires must be treated sensibly and with caution. There is nothing wrong with being careful. It is not pathetic or silly. It takes seconds for an accident to happen and YEARS to heal from it.
There is a fireworks safety website but most of the advice found here are things you already know. They are common sense. Unfortunately, common sense evades some people.
1 Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves, have a bucket of cold water to put them into, hot end first. Do not drop them on the ground. Do not pick up a sparkler from the ground.
2 Never give sparklers to a child under 5
3 Buy fireworks marked BS 7114
4 Keep fireworks in a closed box
5 Follow the instructions on each firework
6 Light them at arm’s length using a taper
7 Stand well back
8 Never go back to a lit firework
9 Never put fireworks in your pocket
10 Never throw fireworks
11 Keep pets indoors
Bonfire safety is also common sense.
*If, after careful consideration, you do decide to have a bonfire, make one person responsible for it, from early planning to final clearing up.Don’t site it too near your display or firework storage area.
*Never use flammable liquids like paraffin or petrol to get it going as this can result in uncontrolled spread of fire or explosion.
Check immediately before lighting that there’s no animal or even a young child hidden inside.
*Never put fireworks on a bonfire, even if they’re dud.
*Don’t burn dangerous rubbish (e.g. aerosols, paint tins or foam-filled furniture).
Remove any rubbish from your bonfire area in advance so there’s nothing that can be thrown onto the fire on the night.
So careful people, careful. Skin grafts are not fun.
Lecture over.
http://www.b48s.org.uk/downloads/safety/CAPT%20Firework%20Factsheet.pdf
http://www.fireworksafety.co.uk/
Safe firework fun, a cute site for kids. http://www.welephant.co.uk/bonfirestory000.htm
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/InYourHome/Escapingandrecoveringfromafire/DG_180786
http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/bonfires
There is no reason why Fireworks Night can't be enjoyed by all. However, as someone on the receiving end of an explosion related accident, I can't help but stress that fireworks may be fun BUT they are also unpredictable, explosive devices.
A factsheet from the Child Accident Prevention Trust has some alarming statistics on it.
*Great Britain - in the four weeks surrounding Bonfire Night 2001, 1362 people
were treated in hospital casualty departments after an accident involving a
firework.
*685 children under 16 were treated in hospital for injuries caused by fireworks.
*Many more boys than girls were injured by fireworks– particularly in the 12 to 15 age group.
* Sparklers burn at a temperature of approx 2000 degrees! They cause a large number of accidents with young children being particularly at risk.
*Common injuries are to the hands (34%), face (12%), and eyes (17%)
*Over 60 per cent of injuries require ongoing treatment from a GP or hospital
and may leave permanent scarring.
Fireworks and bonfires must be treated sensibly and with caution. There is nothing wrong with being careful. It is not pathetic or silly. It takes seconds for an accident to happen and YEARS to heal from it.
There is a fireworks safety website but most of the advice found here are things you already know. They are common sense. Unfortunately, common sense evades some people.
1 Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves, have a bucket of cold water to put them into, hot end first. Do not drop them on the ground. Do not pick up a sparkler from the ground.
2 Never give sparklers to a child under 5
3 Buy fireworks marked BS 7114
4 Keep fireworks in a closed box
5 Follow the instructions on each firework
6 Light them at arm’s length using a taper
7 Stand well back
8 Never go back to a lit firework
9 Never put fireworks in your pocket
10 Never throw fireworks
11 Keep pets indoors
Bonfire safety is also common sense.
*If, after careful consideration, you do decide to have a bonfire, make one person responsible for it, from early planning to final clearing up.Don’t site it too near your display or firework storage area.
*Never use flammable liquids like paraffin or petrol to get it going as this can result in uncontrolled spread of fire or explosion.
Check immediately before lighting that there’s no animal or even a young child hidden inside.
*Never put fireworks on a bonfire, even if they’re dud.
*Don’t burn dangerous rubbish (e.g. aerosols, paint tins or foam-filled furniture).
Remove any rubbish from your bonfire area in advance so there’s nothing that can be thrown onto the fire on the night.
So careful people, careful. Skin grafts are not fun.
Lecture over.
http://www.b48s.org.uk/downloads/safety/CAPT%20Firework%20Factsheet.pdf
http://www.fireworksafety.co.uk/
Safe firework fun, a cute site for kids. http://www.welephant.co.uk/bonfirestory000.htm
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/InYourHome/Escapingandrecoveringfromafire/DG_180786
http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/bonfires
Monday, 17 October 2011
The accident
The accident was the scariest thing in my life. It was the most painful thing in my life. I felt like I couldn’t breathe with the fear of what had just happened. I was freezing cold because they were pouring water on me and I was shuddering violently. My teeth were so clenched for some reason, I couldn’t speak. The ambulance seemed to take forever to come. I kept asking for it. I was panicking about my face. The panic rose and rose in my throat and I wanted to scream continuously but I knew it wouldn’t help so I laid there and concentrated on pressing the water soaked materials to my face and breathing deeply. The ambulance came but they didn’t speak to me enough. I didn’t know what was happening. I was terrified. The gas and air didn’t work because they didn’t tell me I couldn’t overdose and I was worried. I was in fear of them telling my mum because she would be really scared and upset.
During the ambulance journey I asked for more pain relief and was given morphine. I hurt unbearably and the fear was choking me and rising in me like a physical rolling wave of panic.
I was taken to the local hospital and put in a recovery room. I was waiting to go to a specialist burns unit. I heard that someone had put something on the BBQ and there had been an explosion. I could see fear in my Mum and Dad’s face when they arrived. The nurse removed my contact lenses; they had melted.
After reaching the burns unit I had to wait in a recovery room whilst my 'official' room was prepared. My arm and chest were covered in clingfilm and my face in a mask whilst they drew my injuries on a board and labelled the depth of each area. They were discussing the percentage of my burns to see if I needed to be debrided awake or asleep. I cried in terror as I knew what the procedure entailed. As an avid reader, I'd read 'The Gargoyle' http://www.the-gargoyle.co.uk/ and was all too educated.
They decided to wait until the next day and they wrapped me in clingfilm.
Luckily I had the debridement under anesthesia. I couldn’t eat anything and felt very sick and was told if I couldn’t start eating the required calories I would need a tube. I was also really dehydrated due to losing water from my damaged skin.
I had a bandage up to the ends of the fingers of my right arm and all across my chest. My face hurt when there was a breeze on it.
I had 14% burns or varying degrees on my arm, shoulder, chest and face and a long road ahead.
During the ambulance journey I asked for more pain relief and was given morphine. I hurt unbearably and the fear was choking me and rising in me like a physical rolling wave of panic.
I was taken to the local hospital and put in a recovery room. I was waiting to go to a specialist burns unit. I heard that someone had put something on the BBQ and there had been an explosion. I could see fear in my Mum and Dad’s face when they arrived. The nurse removed my contact lenses; they had melted.
After reaching the burns unit I had to wait in a recovery room whilst my 'official' room was prepared. My arm and chest were covered in clingfilm and my face in a mask whilst they drew my injuries on a board and labelled the depth of each area. They were discussing the percentage of my burns to see if I needed to be debrided awake or asleep. I cried in terror as I knew what the procedure entailed. As an avid reader, I'd read 'The Gargoyle' http://www.the-gargoyle.co.uk/ and was all too educated.
They decided to wait until the next day and they wrapped me in clingfilm.
Luckily I had the debridement under anesthesia. I couldn’t eat anything and felt very sick and was told if I couldn’t start eating the required calories I would need a tube. I was also really dehydrated due to losing water from my damaged skin.
I had a bandage up to the ends of the fingers of my right arm and all across my chest. My face hurt when there was a breeze on it.
I had 14% burns or varying degrees on my arm, shoulder, chest and face and a long road ahead.
Friday 22nd July
On the morning of Friday 22nd July, I was excited about the 6 weeks holidays.
By the afternoon of Friday 22nd July, I was in hospital with 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 14% of my body.
The recovery process for burns is a long, long time. It's not like leaning over an iron and catching your skin. It takes up to 2 years for the skin to repair itself as much as it can. After 2 years, what's left is what you're stuck with.
I've set up this blog for a couple of reasons.
1) To share all the useful info I've found out already. It might save another person some time and effort!
2) To document what has been a terrible, painful time; raising awareness of burns and safety when using BBQs, bonfires and other sources of heat.
By the afternoon of Friday 22nd July, I was in hospital with 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 14% of my body.
The recovery process for burns is a long, long time. It's not like leaning over an iron and catching your skin. It takes up to 2 years for the skin to repair itself as much as it can. After 2 years, what's left is what you're stuck with.
I've set up this blog for a couple of reasons.
1) To share all the useful info I've found out already. It might save another person some time and effort!
2) To document what has been a terrible, painful time; raising awareness of burns and safety when using BBQs, bonfires and other sources of heat.
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