Currently typing with bandaids on both thumbs so please excuse typos and missedspaces.
Did some mechanic work a few days ago and forgot gloves. I washed with a nail brush and dishsoap as always but Now im suffering from both thumbs being inflamed and sore emanating from where thenail meets the thumb. I tried sucking and scraping to clean and cut the nails as short as i can. My usual trick is to scrape hard soap in under the nail before scrubbing, which works really well most time, but no cleaning method has worked this time. I can just barely see some black at the deepest part which i assume is engine oil. I dont think its some metal shard, since its both thumbs, didnt grind anything and usually splinters hiding spots can be pin-pointed by pushing on it but idk for sure. Also no pus leaking.
How do i get it out??? 😭 Whats your secret to dealing with inflammation?
Im thinking either some hydrogen peroxide cream on bandaids or moist gloves to soak in to loosen things up before trying to get whatever gunk is still there. I usually heal very fast, two other cuts from the same time are healing well and fast.
Idk anymore and its really frustrating…
Wishing you a good day and happythumbs!
Hydrogen peroxide isn’t an effective degreaser or solvent or surfactant… It’s a good disinfectant…
Gojo or otherwise citrus cleaner or chemical degreaser would be the logical choices with a soft bristle brush. Dish soap is probably better than most bar soaps. Mineral oil or baby oil might help loosen things up.
After that maybe try topical hydrocortisone or diclofenac for inflammation.
I’ll second a vote for citrus cleaner/degreaser. I learned about it from my dad, who’s a (retired) mechanic. I keep a bottle of something called “Fast Orange” under the sink for situations like this, but I’m sure there are other brands that do the same thing (like Gojo.) It’s got a mild grit to it that helps scrub off gunk. The important thing is to use it when your hands are dry and only use water as a final rinse-off.