Slightly embarrassing.

[Bionic]

As per the title, earlier today I slipped while lighting a fire with a ferrocium rod and knife and managed to take off a good section of skin on the joint of my left forefinger. Five hours later it’s still pouring blood as soon as I take pressure off it (as in a cupped handfull in about 30 seconds). I’ve been maintaining pressure on it and keeping my hand raised as well as trying ice etc and was wondering if anybody has any tips as to what else I could try. I’m sure if I strap it up tight for the night it will have settled down by the morning but I’m now interested in tried and trusted remedies for further reference if nothing else.
Many thanks. Clumsy from Lincolnshire

 

[Mesquite]

To be honest if it's still bleeding badly as you described 5 hours later then you really need be heading down to A&E asap to get it looked at properly

 

[Bionic]

That’s probably a fair point but I’m someone that naturally bleeds quite heavily so I’d rather not inflict myself on our already overstretched nhs unless absolutely necessary, combined with the fact the nearest a&e that’s open over the weekend is a 45 min trip away and I know from past experience that a four hour wait for treatment (excellent treatment that it is) is an optimistic hope at best if at all possible I’d sooner deal with it at home. Thanks for the advice however, genuinely appreciate you taking the time to reply

 

[Janne]

Is the wound open, ie did you take off an area of skin and tissue?

I would try to put a protective loose bandage on it, but immobilise the joint, and wait and see.
It should stop by its own once you do not disturb the vlotting by putting and releasing pressure, and by moving the joint.

 

[Bionic]

I manged to take off a lump about the size of my little finger nail (don’t ask it’s embarrassing enough as it is ). I think your probably right that I just need to bandage it and leave it to it’s own devices rather than change the dressing. It’s starting to slow now so hopefully leave it be and it’ll be fine by the morning. Thanks for your help

 

[Nice65]

Elevation and pressure, though it sounds like it’s stopping bleeding now. There’s a fair amount of blood in the body, more than can leak from a finger. I’m a bit of a bleeder too, but it does stop after a while, you’ve probably gone into a vein.

I had a spectacular accident with a Spyderco Caly 3 a few years ago. It was my new and shiny pocket companion. So when I received a telescopic pole saw with the saw blade in a clam pack, I sliced it top down, knife popped through and stripped the backs of two fingers to the bone. It didn’t bleed at all, so clean I was wondering why it looked so white (bone is the white bit btw ).But by the time I got to A&E I was fairly well soaked in claret. Definitely defined as non emergency judging by the 3 hours I waited for a minor skin graft and stitches.

Be careful with it, fingers need to either stretch or be held still. Mine were in a concrete like bandage and resin mix for a month, so beware opening the wound, it’s a major setback. Best of luck.