Drs. Rx: How to Let Your Scab Heal Properly

Could the way you treat a scab stop it from healing correctly? You might think the best thing to do is let a scab dry out, but that has been completely debunked! It slows down your rate of healing and can lead to scarring. Dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra shares that you do want to keep it moist and hydrated and things will heal better.

About The Doctors: The Doctors is an Emmy award-winning daytime talk show hosted by ER physician Dr. Travis Stork and co-hosted by plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon, along with dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra, OB-GYN Dr. Nita Landry, and neuropsychologist Dr. Judy Ho.

The Doctors helps you understand the latest health headlines, delivers exclusive interviews with celebrities dealing with health issues, debates and investigates health and safety claims, explains the latest viral videos and how you can avoid emergency situations, and serves up celebrity chefs to share the hottest and healthiest recipes and foods.

[toeast]

Wow I was actually right. I have scabs from pimples, and I was thinking petroleum jelly would help with a band aid for a couple nights would help. And they do.
It may be uncomfortable but it works and it helps relieve itching and irritation from the scab as well.
What you do is leave petroleum jelly on the scab with a bandage over it over night then let it breathe during the day. It takes a couple days for it to heal, and it helps keep it from scaring.

[saharmerhy]

When I was 14 years old, I used to watch this show on Mbc4, I was obsessed with it

[Tuner]

It's more complicated than just keeping it moisturized. The body requires special nutrients at appropriate levels to heal a wound let alone properly.

[sipe]

I kept it moisturised and one of my road rashes started to become infected because of it. I did keep it clean every day and still found that letting it scab is a better solution

[jessicalouise]

An amazing natural dressing for a graze, wound or scar is aloe Vera leaf. Slice the leaf leaving the gel intact and place over the top holding in place with a breathable material plaster or bandage depending on scenario. Not only is it soothing and moist but it has so many beneficial enzymes that help to aid the healing process, while also acting as a great anti inflammatory.

[emilyboyer]

If you are sensitive to petroleum, try Shea butter! I use refined and melt some into a small container to avoid contamination in the big tub and to get rid of the grainy particles that naturally occur in the butter! Its a miracle worker honestly.

[theresaangelo]

I have scabs on the back of my arm like 3 bad ones. I keep picking on them and they never heal. It’s been almost a year now. I started putting neosporin on with a band aid. I leave it on all day and when i go to bed. In 3 days there was a drastic better change. It almost makes the scars disappear.

[Kristy]

A dermatologist told me years ago that Vaseline helps scrapes heal. Helps new cells grow across the scrape. Doing that right now after rubbing off a temporary tattoo too hard!!

[f-]

God damn it. I kept my scab very dry, and it’s healing very slowly

[GraphicallySpeakingMimi]

Wish I had seen this earlier. I currently have a big hard scab on my forehead but thought if I messed with it, or didn’t let it dry out a fall off on its own, it would leave a scar…now y’all are telling me the opposite. Better go get the Vaseline!

[julianamitchell]

As a kid, knees and elbows, a mess. Fell, picked the scabs and now have scar covered knees and elbows. Whatever, badges of honor.

[LittleMachine]

That’s why when you moisturize the scab it usually falls off. It usually does in the shower.

[kodakyellow]

the reason why I'm here is so that why my scar can stay I want it to be seen lol I got branded

[sclogse]

I was itching for an answer, and got one. I'm using Florouracil on my forehead, on an area about an inch and a half wide by 3/4 inch high. Funny thing about the cream..It will tell you where to put the cream after a few days. And always on a larger area than you thought you needed to. It's a cream used very very sparingly on spots that look like they might be precancerous, or maybe cancerous. It is used twice a day, a very thin coating is all you need, and in about 10 days, that area will probably grow in size with a burn look and eventually scab after about 15 days or more. Slowly. Being a man, I have no problem trimming my fingernails super short while this thing takes forever to scab and heal. I have no nails to pick at it when it burns and itches. I do toss a Gabapentin down just to smooth out the bumps. So, after watching this, I just stole a couple dots of my roommate's high priced moisturizer. I wonder if I have Lachyrdrin laying about in the back of my cabinet...it's a game of bravery and fear dealing with this stuff.

[cream-ona-blue]

I just got these wounds. I clean it everyday, and removing the scab by the process. Now my wounds got deeper and painful. I better change the way to treat it. Thanks for the information.

[PhoneBoothLivin]

ive had numerous lacerations and have needed stitches a bunch of times due to my active lifestyle and carelessness. when i was younger i had a radiator burn and there was a friend of mine who it happened too also on the same arm same situation same radiator lol. i remember his dad took him to the hospital to treat for burns and they wrapped his arm up. i didnt have insurance so i didnt go to the hospital and was in bed from the pain omg i remember like was yesterday !!! my uncle saw me and took a piece of aloe vera plant outside and told me to put the aloe and dont cover it. everytime i showered i would just put a new coat of aloe and thats it. never covered it. a few days later after the pain my skin started to peel it looked horrible like the terminator but i just continued to do what my uncle said . it wound up healing and i saw my friend months later and where he had his burn the bandage was off and he had this huge scar . my arm till this day shows no signs of the incident. ever since then i refuse to cover my wounds or cuts i let them scab and heal on their own and ive never regretted it. in fact i notice when i put bandages on the cuts they take longer to heal. i don't think cuts were meant to be covered i think they are meant to scab and repair itself naturally but hey thats just my opinion from experience

[LifeInTheLobby]

Yeah I never do that and I’m 1000% okay all my cuts after 24-72 hours depending on the depth and then bandages off when the scab dries slowly pick it off if it bleeds let it scab again and wait 3 days try again when you take the scab off and it doesn’t bleed it’s in the perfect healing process in my opinion

[Tatiana-qpgc]

Coconut oil or shae butter works wonders

[CrispBiscuit]

I have a huge scab on my cheek that made my eye swell shut and my mom says i dont need to see a doctor but im pretty sure i need to because its a scab that has to airway to heal :(

[moniquewrites]

Asked how to heal scabs
Lady proceeds to say “dOn’T lEt iT ScaB”