The Burn and The Cure

It's been a long time since I burned myself.  I used to do it all the time, and I don't know if I use fewer items that provide the opportunity, if I've become more careful, or a combination of both.

All of that changed two weeks ago though.  On a Monday morning, I was fixing my breakfast, and reached across the teakettle just as steam was coming out of the spout.  I quickly realized that OUCH that burns, and pulled my arm away.  I could tell I had actually burned myself, as opposed to just a quick warning.  I put ice on the burn while I ate breakfast, and went on with my day.  By the end of the day, I had a huge burn blister.  That evening, it burst, and the open wound started oozing.

It didn't get much better from there.  I put ointment on it and a bandaid during the day so that it wouldn't a) gross people out, or b) keep hitting it on stuff (it was on my left forearm).  I realized that it was actually a much more serious burn than I had originally thought, but since it was slowly healing, I knew it was just a matter of time.

Enter my next-door neighbor, helping her husband unpack the car from their vacation in Maine.  I was taking Dug out for a walk when they got started, and they were telling me about how wonderful the trip was, when she said, "Oh my God, what happened to your arm?!"  I explained what happened, and she said, "Oh I have something for you.  It works for burns, and also avoids scarring."  And she went inside, pulled out something from her cosmetic case, and handed me a sample-sized jar of this:

I've heard of this cream, and how amazing it is supposed to be for your face.  My neighbor told me that it is just the best thing in the world for your face, but also is great if you have a burn or a cut.  It heals it quickly, and leaves no scar.

Well, she was right.  I would put a little bit on a Q-tip, and then pat it on the burn each night before I went to bed, and even after the first night, there was a really noticeable difference!  It looked much less inflamed, and the scab was reduced considerably.  I've kept using it, and now other than a very red blotch on my forearm which will probably be there for a while, there is virtually no sign that anything happened.  And that scab was pretty big and harsh-looking, let me tell you!

I'm guessing that if I had started using the stuff right away, my arm would not have much evidence at all that the burn ever happened.  And after a week, there is still a lot left in the teeny jar, so if something like this happens again, I'm set.

Now you are probably wondering what kind of neighbor I have who can afford to use $200.00 face cream for things besides her face, right?  Well, she is the director of regional public relations for Neiman Marcus.  So she probably gets a pretty good discount on the stuff.

Sadly, I probably wouldn't be able to afford it, even with a discount, which of course I don't have, and they don't offer (of course I checked!).  

But I still have some left in that teeny jar.  :-)