Surfing Waves

Hey fellaz!

As we all know that even a smallest scratch can become a real pain in the ass when u can't keep it out of water.
Personally I have always been fighting with sea ulcer at least when surfing in such tropical countries as Indonesia. I have tried a lot of different solutions to keep the wounds dry from the seawater with all kinds of tapes, plasters and spray on bandage but hardly anything stays on when gone surfing.
BLISTER PLASTER is the only thing that I haven’t tried. And I have heard that some surfers have found it practical. I'm also doing a little research in my studies and trying to figure out that could it be so useful that it should be developed for more suitable in this kind of use.

So I'm asking:

Have you ever used a BLISTER PLASTER (for example: Compeed) to keep your scratch or reefcuts out of water?
If yes:

does it work?
where have you used it?
in what kind of situations you have used it?
and any kind of improvements: how could it be better? (shape, use, packaging)

If you got any experience about the subject, it would be very helpful! So please share your knowledge for a good cause. Cheers!!

Amazing, you are posting from Finland about sea ulcers with an emphasis on Indonesia and tropical infection. I looked up blister plasters do you have a particular brand in mind, because I'm sure the Finnish ones would need to different to tropical ones.
I'm interested, Staph or Strep, aerobic or anerobic,
Enlighten us a little more about what your aims are, do you have an ulcer,what specifically is your research?

I recently had a surgery and used a waterproof dressing to keep the incision dry while I surfed. The surgery was in the middle of my back so not in an area that rubbed but still I think the bandage worked for about 25 to 30 minutes and then came loose right when I was coming in. The dressing was like a Band-Aid but rectangular with sticky border all around the center pad. That said I have never had a sea ulcer and I have spent years in the ocean.

jaffa1949 wrote:Amazing, you are posting from Finland about sea ulcers with an emphasis on Indonesia and tropical infection. I looked up blister plasters do you have a particular brand in mind, because I'm sure the Finnish ones would need to different to tropical ones.
I'm interested, Staph or Strep, aerobic or anerobic,
Enlighten us a little more about what your aims are, do you have an ulcer,what specifically is your research?

Thanks for your reply! I have to say that I'm not an expert in this area because I haven't surf that much in my life as you may know it's a bit difficult in Finland! I don't have an ulcer and I don't know if I got the meaning of it all wrong? Is it just an infected wound caused by bacteria found in the sea?
When I was travelling Southeast Asia I got several infected scratches/cuts that i had to treat by antibiotics and I assume that it's more common in tropical countries cause the water temperature is higher there.
Anyways my aim is to figure out an alternative ways to use blister plasters.. may sound weird but it's part of studies as I'm designing new package and branding for blister plasters. The task is brand free so I can pick anything that is suitable for my intentions.

Water supplies in SE Asia are often compromised because they are used for everything from bathing your elephant, water buffalo, children and cooking gear.
There is a lot of toilet run off into the streams and then longer they are the more polluted!

a definition of an ulcer is a wound that the infecting bacteria attacks the healthy flesh and increases the size of the wound, severe risks of septicemia and continuing flesh eating fascitus all very nasty.
Most infection are best treated with antibiotics often alternative methods can cause the ulcer to look ok but stuff is going on underneath.. Not sure about blister packs..... I treat coral cuts with lime juice ASAP wash also with alcohol wipes or iodine wipes , I also have as a back up a broad spectrum heavy duty antibiotic powder to dry the wound, I soak off the scab drain the pus and rinse with a saline solution of thoroughly boiled water with salt dissolved, if it is a large wound I avoid iodine as it can damage healthy tissue. If there was venous tracking I would be arranging evacuation to a suitable hospital where I could have appropriate culture done and the correct antibiotic use intravenously . strange because I have been an alternate medical practitioner for over 35 years.
Ulcer acting infections require serious consideration, sea ulcers thrive in continuos wet environment.

If you observe the local population you will see healed ulcerous scars or active ulcers.

Remember too the bacteria do everything to effect the wound to continue their activity!

I grew up in Hawaii and still live there. My entire life has been spent diving swimming and surfing in the ocean. I have had numerous wounds. None of them ever needed antibiotics.......well except for I had an infected hair follicle that turned into a boil on the back of my leg where my surfboard rubs. Even that one I was back in the ocean as soon as I could well before it healed completely. I have never heard of the words sea ulcer till I started reading here. My usual treatment of all wounds was to scrub with soap and water and ignore it. Maybe Hawaii doesn't have that problem.

Rest assured the water is Hawaii is cleaner than most Se Asian streams.
The only stream I know specifically that can be be polluted is when the stream at Waimea breaks from the the lagoon at the back it has warning signs about leptospirosis . I can't recall if warning signs are on other lagoons.
But remember too every dog turd cigarette butt etc on the road ends up in a drain which leads to a beach stream or river.
I think I'll go worm myself