Whether you take a face-first landing at 60km/h and get hit by wildlife or just take a sideways swipe and go farming for roasties, bandaging properly heals you faster and prevents scars. There is no need to have an ego battle…. Sometimes a plaster is just beneficial.
Follow these five steps :
- Use a water bottle of hydration pack hose as a high-pressure wash to flush the wound.
- When you go home, use a clean washcloth or soft brush to scrub out grit. Still dirty ? Soak in the bath for a few minutes, then scrub again. Hint: It’s better if someone does it for you.
- Apply an antibiotic ointment to kill bacteria and prevent bandages from sticking.!
- Keep wounds covered and moist. Dry scabs can easily get infected and cause scarring.
- See a doctor if :
- It’s more than 2.5cm long or 0.5cm deep or gaping open.
- Over a joint or callused skin - the joint might be injured.
- Oozing yellowish fat tissue and looks mushy
- Filled with dirt or gravel you can’t get out.
- Still bleeding after 10-15 minutes of direct pressure and elevation.
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Johannesburg Mountain Bicycle Club 
