Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I admit it. I picked a hangnail. Now it's infected. It hurts. Bad. It has little lightening bolts coming out of it. I don't really have to go to a doctor for this do I?? Everyone picks hangnails, right?! I'm soaking it in warm water a few times a day and doing triple antibiotic ointment and bandaids. And it's red and swollen and hurts and throbs.

Just felt like I should add a dumb medical complaint to the new boards to start building the new archive of stupid injuries and such.

I have no medical advice, just sympathy. I'm sorry it hurts.

I misread the title of this post as sex-inflicted injury. I was incredibly confused at first by your post about a hangnail.

We get a little kinky sometimes...

epsom salt might be soothing

yeah add some salt to that wah wah, woman!

I thought this thread was going to be about something else entirely.

If you soak it in water with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate that can help clean up the wound.

Or use some other kind of disinfectant. (iodine?)

Same.

I love how you describe your injury. Hope it heals quickly.

hydrogen peroxide, maybe?

Guess what? Go to the Doctor. You might need an antibiotic.

If it's not getting better after a few days then yeah, go to the doctor. Just because it's rare that a hangnail would turn into an infection doesn't mean it's impossible, and you probably don't want to be that "rare" person who has to explain to all the tactless people on earth why you no longer have a thumb.

I'll have you know it's my left pointer finger. There's no way I'd lose a thumb from this!!

Actually, it's much less swollen and painful today. Still red, but not red and bulgy white. I think I'll live.... this time. I may even stop picking at hangnails for a week or two, though I'd be lying if I said I learned my lesson.

I used to do this to myself all the time, and all I can say is that it sucks, but it stops being a problem after a day or two. It really makes you pay attention to how often you move that finger or brush up against something with it, though!

aaaand one more time for good measure.

so you can't resist picking hangnails. I am obsessed with my latest cooking related injury, a burn that I keep trying to "pop."
I can't help myself.
And I should be packing for my move Tuesday/Wednesday.
But I'm here, reading about hangnails.
I love PPK.

some tincture of echinacea is good as an antibiotic

I do this constantly. If I get a minor infection, I put antibiotic (echinecea ain't the same, sorry!) Ointment on it, and it clears up within a day or so. If yours doesn't resolve quickly, see a doctor.

Also, not to snipe, but this one hit me where I live: please try to be a titch moreaccurate with your thread titles - this one in tself is potentially triggering at worst and gives the wrong idea at best. Thankee kindly!

Wanker's cramp?

I do this nearly every time I have a hangnail. When they get infected, and they rarely do, I just squeeze the gunk out, wash it, and go about my day. I haven't lost a finger yet!

I pick at little scabs all the time... They get messed up, infected, and painful all the time, but I use some rubbing alcohol on them and yeah it hurts when I apply it, but it clears up the boo-boo pain in a day or so every time.

Add another one to the pile.

me too
i hope all you sickos who thought it was something else are okay