Be careful out there with your blades, everyone

**Kevan** · 04-28-2012, 11:38 PM

So last Sunday I was picking a razor to use from the rotation. I hadn't used my black-handled Slim in awhile, so I took it out and decided to put a fresh blade in. I put the used blade on my desk and reached for the blade bank, and somehow (I still don't know how) I nicked the first knuckle on my right hand. The incision was tiny (probably 2-3mm across). It bled, but I stopped it, cleaned the wound, applied hydrogen peroxide and then liquid bandage. The next day, I repeated the process but this time dressed it with Neosporin and a band-aid. By Tuesday it was looking better so I went to washing it every couple of hours, doing hydrogen peroxide, and leaving it open covered by Neosporin.

By Thursday, it wasn't getting better so I started dressing it again. By Saturday, despite all my efforts, it was full-blown infected. Had to go to one of those clinics open on the weekends, and now I'm on pills to fight the infection before it turns into cellulitis (which I had last year in my knee....not fun). And have an appointment scheduled this week for a tetanus booster (on advice from the doc).

I've had razor blade cuts before and this has never happened. I'm kind of pissed right now.

I don't mean to scare anyone....just a reminder to be careful!

**Bellac** · 04-28-2012, 11:50 PM

Most definitely be careful around those blades. Today, it was just my average shave, but for some reason perhaps I was not paying attention. The DE was against my face but I slid it horizontally by just maybe half a centimeter. Right now there's a 1.5 inch slash on my face.

Hope you get better.

**OkieStubble** · 04-28-2012, 11:51 PM

Sorry to hear Kevan. Good advice you give to be taken seriously. I gashed my finger open when I first started several years ago. Didn't get infected but it definitely made me cry "Mommy!" Since then, I never set a blade down after taking it out of the razor. I take it out and put it straight in the bank.

**Predict** · 04-29-2012, 01:00 AM

Yikes! Today I accidentally slid my razor sideways a little on my face. It hurt a lil but when I looked there was no blood. Lucky I guess.

**Heespharm** · 04-29-2012, 01:10 AM

Hydrogen peroxide should only used on the initial injury to clean the wound but stopped after that... From there only use neosporin ... Hydrogen peroxide has a slight anti coagulant effect and will cause the wound to open up and get infected

**ThePatrician** · 04-29-2012, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by OkieStubble

Sorry to hear Kevan. Good advice you give to be taken seriously. I gashed my finger open when I first started several years ago. Didn't get infected but it definitely made me cry "Mommy!" Since then, I never set a blade down after taking it out of the razor. I take it out and put it straight in the bank.

Absolutely excellent point about "straight into the bank". The only time I handle my blades is opening the paper and putting them into the bank. Those demmed blades are way too sharp to try to pick up! I did drop one on the floor once, and just tossed it into the bank. No need to risk infection over a twenty cent blade!

**LouBarraza** · 04-29-2012, 01:56 AM

I always use alcohol when I cut myself,even if it burns like the fiery pits of hell.

**Artimid** · 04-29-2012, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by Heespharm

Hydrogen peroxide should only used on the initial injury to clean the wound but stopped after that... From there only use neosporin ... Hydrogen peroxide has a slight anti coagulant effect and will cause the wound to open up and get infected

For sure! Use it once, and then leave it alone. After you clean the cut, cover it and let your skin take care of things, we are designed to heal from stuff like that. Sorry it got worse for you, but just be careful in the future. If all else fails, salt water works wonders on wounds of all sorts, and you can simply put your hand/foot/nose (whatever, lol) in an epson salt solution with warm water for a while, or if you are in a beach area go swimming for a few hours, miracles will happen. :) But other than neosporin or something, leave it alone and let the body do it's thing. :( Not specifically to you, anymore, but to others who might do the same.

**Oblique Human** · 04-29-2012, 05:09 AM

Thats too bad. I wish you a quick recovery.

**Rengrave** · 04-29-2012, 05:50 AM

Good advice.

A few weeks ago I was packing up my kit to take with me on a weekend out of town, and forgot to take the blade out of my razor. I ended up dropping it on my arm, and it took an inch and a half by one sixteenth of an inch slice out of my arm. Nothing serious, and obviously not very deep, and it didn't get infected, but it's been about three weeks now, almost four, and it's still an angry red line about a quarter of an inch thick, and doesn't seem to be fading at all, probably going to have another scar (admittedly a small one) to add to the collection.

**Theprofessor** · 04-29-2012, 06:06 AM

Thanks for the advice

**dpmtherrien** · 04-29-2012, 06:12 AM

That's a nice reminder. I think we all tend to get a bit lax at times.

**Threeme2189** · 04-29-2012, 08:11 AM

That sucks!
I usually just wash small cuts with some tap water, and wrap them tightly with a paper towel or toilet paper until they stop bleeding.
Let your body and immune system do their job :)
Haven't had an infection yet.

**dfollett_98** · 04-29-2012, 08:38 AM

Kevan:

Thanks for the reminder. Hope you are better soon. May you "Safely" enjoy your shaves.

Don

**oakeshott** · 04-29-2012, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by Rengrave

Good advice.

A few weeks ago I was packing up my kit to take with me on a weekend out of town, and forgot to take the blade out of my razor. I ended up dropping it on my arm, and it took an inch and a half by one sixteenth of an inch slice out of my arm. Nothing serious, and obviously not very deep, and it didn't get infected, but it's been about three weeks now, almost four, and it's still an angry red line about a quarter of an inch thick, and doesn't seem to be fading at all, probably going to have another scar (admittedly a small one) to add to the collection.

+1 on the packing dangers. I'm a frequent traveler and while in NYC last month bought an EJ at Pasteur Pharmacy. Used it while there and then packed it in its original box WITH THE BLADE STILL IN THE RAZOR! When I got home, I was digging it out of the box and the thing bit me back. Took about a pea sized (in diameter) piece of meat out of the tip of my middle finger. Hurt like hell and bled for hours. The humiliation was somewhat meliorated by the fun of showing off my middle finger injury to others (this required folding all of the adjacent digits into a fist and leaving the middle finger at maximum extension for best inspection), but I will never again pack a loaded razor again.

**retturn2blades** · 04-29-2012, 10:46 AM

Sorry about the cut going bad. Sounds like you did everything right. I hope for a speedy healing.

We men like to play with "dangerous things." That's part of the old style shaving scene and appeal, I think. We can go "modern male" and play it safe with Mach III or Fusion...with blades safely embedded in plastic. Or, we can be men and dance with very sharp and dangerous devices that would make our mothers cringe and gasp.

Viva la dangerous!

**Face&Head** · 04-29-2012, 10:59 AM

Did that to my thumb trying to adjust a wet Futur in the shower (a particularly dumb move) . Took all the regular precautions to treat the cut (was deep & probably needed stitches) and still ended up on antibiotics. Thanks for the reminder.

**Kevan** · 04-29-2012, 11:55 AM

Yeah, this is the first time ANY cut has gotten infected on me. The one time I had a skin infection before (last year) it was due to a spider bite. I'll remember the advice about excessive hydrogen peroxide use. Thanks.

The doc said I probably could've used a stitch. I honestly couldn't see how when it happened...it was a clean slice that was quite tiny and not deep at all. I've had worse than this in my life. Oh well, live and learn.