Help! How can I make red bumps on track marks go away?

[super_ugly]

Hi everybody. First off, I understand that there are already threads about treating track marks, but I specifically need feedback about the "red bumps."

My cat injects 8mg Dilaudid several times a day. I use a fresh needle every single time and I always sanitize the area. Small, round, red bumps form on the injection site and take a VERY long time to go away. In my experience, they turn into a scar like thing and don't ever totally disappear, they just get harder to see.

After injections, I wash the injection site with soap and warm water after and apply neosporin. I cannot get these bumps to go away. I've been considering trying to apply acne removal cream. Heat seems to be ineffective by the way. I am also considering trying scar lotion.

If anyone has any ideas on how to make these red bumps go away, I would really appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

 

[neversickanymore]

when you retract the needle take the time to apply pressure to the injection sight. Give it strong pressure and be patient. This closes the "wound" quickest and prevents the least amount of fluid from leaking out. This does allot of positive things. It greatly reduces the amount of unnatural substance the body has to deal with (which is likely the cause of your bumps), it greatly reduces any internal bleeding (pretty much eliminating bruises, including the very little ones that form a tiny ring around the site and cause the discoloration that make tracks so much more noticeable) and reduces the chance of sub cue infections and reduce the formation of abscesses.

hope this helps.. to try and treat the problem once it is already there increase blood flow with heat. A wet cloth heated very frequently in the micro wave and applied to the area will help as it bring blood to the area to clean out the chemicals that are causing this.. but this is really one of those three minutes of patient pressure is worth more than all the treatment combined things.

 

[_DankOpiAmp_]

Are they like normal blemish bumps or are they similar to keloids? Applying pressure as you pull the needle out like when you have a blood test and they doctor tells you to press on it for a few minutes like ^ said. It may be inert particles leaking into the surrounding area and becoming permanently encapsulated by your flesh as it heals.

 

[super_ugly]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

The red bumps I have look much better than any picture of keloids I saw in google images. My bumps look almost like pimples; red, round, and after a while they get a white head. Because of the white top, I've been thinking about trying acne ointment. I guess I will apply warm compress a lot and keep using neosporin. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to resort to putting make up on my arm.

 

[super_ugly]

I have been told that Vitamin E can help heal track marks. Does anyone have any experience with that?

 

[Jampacked]

From experience I've found that vitamin E is a track mark miracle cure. Not literally but, it's by far the most effective way to treat them and most importantly, prevent them from forming in the 1st place by putting a little vitamin E oil (just break open a vitamin E jell cap) on the injection site and swallow the rest of the pill. I hope people try this because it works so well!

Bonus fact: This is what strippers with IV drug habits do to keep their skin clear.

 

[super_ugly]

Thank you Jampacked! I'm gonna get some ASAP. So they don't make a vitamin E cream?

 

[dopemaster]

Vitamin E is good. You can just get it in liquid form so you don't have to bust open capsules.

Mederma works good for scars.

But track marks kinda comes with the territory.

Also, I really doubt your cat has a drug habit and its actually you who is shooting up.

It is against the BLUA to use things like SWIM or talk about your pet who has a drug habit. Just giving you a heads up.

 

[super_ugly]

Dopemaster, thanks for letting me know. I was under the impression that I was supposed to say that. I originally said "I inject" but edited it. Some sites have the opposite rule. Anyways, I just bought a bottle of Vitamin E oil liquid. Thanks everyone for the responses.

 

[dopemaster]

^
You can say you inject if you want in drug discussion.

I figured you already did since talking about track marks.

Please keep in mind that the BLUA has all the rules which are pretty easy to follow, so I encourage you to check it out.

 

[batrider]

Doctor told me once that Vitamin E works better out of pills for minimizing a scar that got sunburnt than buying it as a liquid. YMMV