Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.
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This month I write the story of an injury that I sustained and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) practices I followed to treat and heal a 2-inch forehead laceration. I describe the wound healing methods that I used for six-weeks and subsequent treatments to manage the scar.
One late night on October 8, 2020, I felt woozy as I studied for an upcoming exam. I was in the kitchen when I stood up to walk to the bedroom. The next thing that I knew, I woke up on the living room floor in a little puddle of blood. I was alone.
I laid on the floor in shock trying to figure out what had happened. I thought that I had a bloody nose, instead I had a 2-inch laceration from my hairline to my eyebrows down the middle of my forehead.
The laceration was deep, I didn’t know if I saw fascia or bone but I knew that the cut went through my skin layers. I felt woozy again, I stopped looking at the laceration and hastily flushed the wound with cold water, squeezed the skin together and applied bandages. I ate a banana in case my salt balance was off and took a few sips of water. I was in shock. Should I drive, call an ambulance? I did not want to go to the Emergency Room under Covid-19 and decided to wait until the next day to make a decision. In hindsight, I believe that I was more tolerant of this situation then I should have been.
I decided to sleep propped against pillows and stayed awake for a couple of hours to assess my condition. When I woke the next morning my neck/back were sore and I had a migraine. I checked my laceration and it was closed and dry so I decided to work that day. I was attending a professional virtual conference and I began watching that day’s presentations while I lay prone on the lounge. I was not up to sitting in a chair.
Photo taken October 9, 2020. I fainted and when I fell my head made this dent in the wall corner.
I began to piece together the events of the prior night after I found a dent on a wall corner at the hall entrance. It seemed that after I felt woozy and began to walk to the bedroom, I blacked out. After losing consciousness, I walked about 4 feet before I fell, hit the corner with my head and fell to the floor. I later found out that I whiplashed my neck, fractured my nose and received a concussion along the way. I took photos of the wall damage and my forehead and sent them to my daughter and best friend. Both said that I should go to the Emergency Room immediately. Instead, I purchased and applied adhesive strips to secure the laceration, applied ice off and on to my neck/back (sometimes alternating with heat), did easy stretches, did not touch my nose and thought about it.
Photo taken October 9, 2020 one day after I fainted/fell showing the initial laceration bandaging.
Two days later, I saw a virtual doctor and then went to urgent care. I saw my personal doctor about four days after the injury.
Photo taken October 10, 2020, two days after the injury showing the steri-strip adhesive bandaging
A 2-inch laceration would typically receive stitches. By the time I saw a medical professional it was too late to get stitches. On the bright side, two medical professionals said that I had done a better job at closing my wound than ER would have done because stitches would have left two scars, the injury scar and the suture scar.
Photo taken October 15, 2020, 7 days after injury.
My fainting spell was ultimately attributed to a poor salt-balance. I had exercised hard in an unairconditioned room 3 days in a row in central Arizona heat and missed dinner a couple of busy evenings. Bad combo. That’s why my post-faint banana rejuvenated me. All in all, I feel fortunate, I am healed and well.
I was distraught about the 2-inch forehead laceration (still grateful nothing worse happened). I was not supposed to work or study for one week but I did research laceration care and scar development.
The DIY treatment of my 2-inch forehead laceration and subsequent on-going scar management is simple.
Open Wound Stage 0 – 7 days
Apply butterfly bandage
The size and depth of my laceration surprised and scared me. I flushed the wound with water for a minute or two. I did not think to use soap and later read that copious flushing is suitable. In my state of shock, I tried to align the skin edges and tightly bandage the long laceration. I moved carefully over the next two days, I was concerned about the wound splitting open again (yikes!). I replaced the standard bandages with Steri-Strip Reinforced Adhesive Skin Closures which secured the injury and reportedly reduce tissue trauma versus sutures or staples.
Aloe Vera
Forty-eight hours after sustaining my forehead injury, I began applying fresh Aloe Vera leaves directly to the cut. I trimmed the prickly edges, sliced the leaf open and applied the gel side over the adhesives and injury. I secured the Aloe leaves with more bandages and a headband. I wore Aloe Vera leaves for 8 to 16 hours a day, ha ha thank goodness for telework (silver lining). I adore Aloe Vera and use it for every and any skin condition and beauty treatment. I’ve experienced it’s healing and regenerative properties throughout my life and rely on it as medicine. With it’s vast array of healing properties I knew that Aloe Vera would heal my wound.
Wound Closure/Healing
It took about 6-7 days for the injury to close, after which I removed the adhesives. The wound healed beautifully but the scar was atrophic, or indented. An atrophic scar forms when the tissue beneath the skin is injured, from acne or trauma. I did not want a 2-inch indentation running down the middle of my forehead although I did think that the scar was interesting and kind of funny. It made me look like a Star Trek character.
I researched atrophic scars. I determined that if necessary, subcision (if I can find a doctor who practices) plus micro-needling could repair an atrophic scar. In the meantime, suction was recommended. I’d been saving my pennies throughout Covid-19 and it was time to splurge. I purchased a microdermabrasion machine and unpacked my unused glass cupping devices to initiate scar suction via cupping therapy.
Scar Treatment
Gel Wrinkle Pads
When I was not wearing Aloe Vera leaves on my forehead, I wore silicon gel wrinkle pads over the scar. These reduced the appearance of the scar indentation. I wore the gel pads consistently for six weeks until I noticed that I was developing an indentation in my forehead and I stopped. It appeared that I had flattened the tissue from repetitive use of the gels. I knew that I needed the subcutaneous tissue to regenerate beneath the scar.
Creams, oils and other applications
I have a good supply and variety of organic raw vegetable oils, butters and essential oils to heal and soothe. I used an Aloe Vera/Shea Butter/Cocao Butter/Avocado Oil cream that I had previously made. I began applying the creams after my six weeks of alternating Aloe Vera leaf and gel silicon pads.
Cupping Therapy
I began cupping therapy as soon as the wound closed. I applied suction along the scar to lift the indentation. I also discovered how to get a great facial fast, a cupping facial! So began my love affair with facial cupping. I cup my scar on a daily basis. I use the smallest cup to suction out the indentation, then I use a larger cup to suction a larger area. I leave the cups in one place for up to 30 seconds or longer. I also apply suction and run the cup up and down and back and forth and in circles and every direction across the scar, my forehead and ultimately my entire face and neck. I cup along lymphatic flow lines. It feels so good. My new daily? Facial cupping to suck the lymph out and feel awesome. Try it!
Frownies
I enjoy using Frownie Wrinkle Pads but I have relied on them to continue to smooth my atrophic scar. I apply a Frownie to my scar every night.
Microdermabrasion
After receiving the new microdermabrasion machine, I began DIY microdermabrasion treatments on my scar about two weeks after the injury closed. I complete one treatment per week and plan to follow this schedule indefinitely. This microdermabrasion machine was a real bonus. I never considered purchasing a microdermabrasion machine but I am glad that I did. It makes a noticeable difference in smoothing the skin. Happy to have this new toy. I will write a review in the future.
Other tools/methods
In addition to treating the scar with cupping and microdermabrasion, other tools and methods that I use include the NuFACE, the Tri-Polar Stop, facial exercise and facial massage. The best way to enhance healing or to improve the skin condition is to stimulate the skin in a variety of ways.
Photo taken December 14, 2020 showing the indentation of the atrophic scar.
Scar Update
The upper portion of my forehead scar is almost invisible. There is a line with a slight indentation, but it is ever so slight. The lower portion of the atrophic scar is situated in thicker tissue and the underlying tissue has not regenerated and unfortunately the scar is indented. It is in a most inopportune place, between the middle of my eyebrows. A scar takes 3 months to a year to completely heal. I will continue my current practices and will integrate micro-needling into the mix in the near future. I’ll re-evaluate the scar in a year and any next steps.
Photo taken January 28, 2021, showing the scar after sleeping with a Frownie.
I am thrilled with the recovery of my wound and am so grateful that I did not sustain worse injuries. Fainting and falling is no joke.
If you need more information, go to the library, search the Internet, read my past Blog articles, or get my book “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare”
Take good care of yourselves!
XO Deborah
This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.