Road rash is a skin abrasion often caused by friction, such as when you fall off your bike or when dragged under a car. Although minor road rash injuries don’t breach the muscle or bone, they’re still very painful and can be prone to infection. However, you can quickly treat it at home.
How Does Road Rash Happen?
A road rash injury occurs when you scrape your skin across a rough surface. It’s a superficial injury to the skin, meaning it doesn’t affect underlying muscles or organs. Road rash injuries are more common during the summer because less protection is worn when performing activities.
How Should You Treat Road Rash When It Happens?
As soon as the injury occurs, you should check if it’s serious. If you see any visible muscle, bone, large foreign objects, pus, or excess bleeding, you should seek medical attention. If the injury covers most of your limbs or body, you should call 911 and/or be driven to the hospital.
However, if the injury doesn’t look too serious, you can do the following:
- Wash your hands before you touch the wound
- Wash the injury, but don’t scrub it or add pressure
- Remove small debris, like rocks or glass, with a tweezer
- Apply an antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin
- Cover the rash with a moist dressing
- Change your covering twice a day
- Keep an eye on your injury and check for infection
Even when you choose to treat an injury naturally, it’s still essential to clean the wound properly with an antibiotic. This will reduce your chance of infection and heal the wound much faster.
How Can You Naturally Treat Road Rash at Home?
If you want to get back on your sports bike as soon as possible, try using natural remedies. The following road rash remedies are free of chemicals and will make you feel great in no time.
All-Natural Honey
Honey has been used as medicine for over 4000 years, and it isn’t hard to see why. The amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in honey can kill bacteria and fungi in wounds. Plus, honey can leave a softer-looking scar or completely heal a wound, depending on how deep it is.
Tea Tree Oil
Applying tea tree oil to an infected cut is proven to be effective due to its antibacterial qualities. According to studies, tea tree oil actually heals wounds faster than conventional antibiotics, so there’s no harm in trying it out. Grab yourself a Derma E Creme and apply it twice a day.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is incredibly versatile, as it can keep infections at bay and cut down on pain. Many people who use lavender oil report feeling less pain and redness, even when they apply a topical or lotion. To make your own lavender lotion, apply 12 drops for every one ounce of base.
Peppermint Oil and Cinnamon
According to studies, peppermint oil and cinnamon are able to treat and heal chronic wounds, but you shouldn’t make a homemade paste. To make a concoction that would actually work, you would have to go through a lot of pain when applied. Instead, buy a premade rub or paste.
Chamomile Tea
We all love to sip on some chamomile tea, but did you know this sleep-time flower can also treat bruises, burns, hemorrhoids, sciatica, and road rash? Chamomile is so effective at reducing pain, scarring, inflammation, and redness that it’s commonly used to treat and heal new tattoos.
In Conclusion…
While road rash doesn’t look as painful as a broken bone, it’s often described as being more painful than a puncture wound because it affects more nerve endings. To ease your pain, wallet, and skin while you heal, try the five natural remedies we included on our list, like tea tree oil.