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kingdomkid Asked May 2014

My Mom (79) will not quit picking at her face where she has a scab and irritation. What do I do?

I'm concerned she will make it worse or infected.What do I do? How can I get mom to stop picking at the sore on her face so it does not get infected? She does this without self control. Then she makes her face really sore.

bookluvr May 2014
Great info. I copied and pasted it on my file for caregiving tips.

Countrymouse May 2014
Thanks, Susan, that's reassuring - and I'm glad it worked so well!

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ASusan48 May 2014
Just a heads up, I just did a quick search and found both Manuka Honey and Medi-Honey on Amazon - definitely worth investigating and see if your doc will use it - if they won't, ask them if you can try it yourself.

ASusan48 May 2014
Countrymouse & Kingdomkid - look for Medi-Honey if you can't get the Manuka Honey. Ask your doc to check into it for you. It was the ONLY thing that worked to heal my dad's ulcerated legs (from venous insufficiency, which I also have - all of us kids inherited it, thanks Dad!). His legs had raw, open wounds for YEARS - dermatologist just kept putting UNO boots on them, which didn't work - it made them worse. 2 weeks of Medi-Honey applications and they were not only completely healed, they were growing new skin in areas previously considered necrotic (dead).

Countrymouse May 2014
Kingdomkid, I've been looking into manuka honey dressings for a patch of sore, red skin on my mother's chest that steroid ointment isn't helping. From what I've read, manuka honey is at least definitely harmless, and there seem to be positive comments from authoritative sources. I'm not going to use them until I've had the ok from mother's GP; but in your case, rather than wait for your mother's agreement to an appointment, would it be a good idea to telephone her doctor, explain the problem, and ask for advice? Then you'll either know what to put on it, or you'll be able to say to her "we have to go to see the doctor, he/she's insisting."

To describe what I'm talking about, these dressings are made of gauze or alginate, impregnated with manuka honey of the right strength and purity to be safe on skin. They come in 5cm x 5cm or 10cm x 10cm sizes, and I assume you use surgical tape to keep them in place but I haven't got as far as reading instructions yet. My mother is a terrible scratcher and rubber, it's a source of constant grumbling on my part - sympathy.

kingdomkid May 2014
Too big for a band aid now

kingdomkid May 2014
She claims that she had a small irritation which became a scab and is getting worse because she says she can not leave it alone. Im going to talk to her about going to the doctor.

Eyerishlass May 2014
Can you put a Band-Aid over the sore or will she just peel it off? Is the scab and irritation from her picking at her face or did she have a previous sore there and she just began picking at it? If she developed an irritation and open sore on her face out of nowhere I would take her to the dermatologist.

pamstegma May 2014
Take her to a Dermatologist and find out what is on the skin.

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