Once Burned Twice Shy : Saved By Silver Sulphadiazine

Firstly, I feel that it is incumbent upon me to issue a warning. DO NOT click on “Read More” if you are easily grossed out or feel queasy when you see images of wounds such as those caused by second degree burns because the images are not pretty.

A month ago, I got lost in Sunway Lagoon on my way out from Mandara Spa. As I pointed out in that review, there are 2 entrances to the spa. I was trying to find my way to the main entrance, not the one via Sunway Resort & Spa. Somehow, I took the wrong turn and ended up in Sunway Lagoon. Along came a security guard on a bike and I asked for directions. Turned out the main entrance was all the way uphill from where I was which is a relatively long walk since it’s an ascend.

As he was kindly leading the way with me huffing and puffing, he offered me a ride on his bike and I clambered on. It was just a minute away by bike but as I got off, my leg touched the exhaust and it was major burn time. Okay, it’s been decades since I last got on a bike and these things happen but still it was an accident that could so easily have been avoided had I had the foresight to remember that there is an exhaust on a bike. DUH!

The first thing one should do when experiencing a burn is to see a doctor asap. Seriously, don’t self-medicate like me but that is what I did by going to Caring Pharmacy at Subang Parade by which time the sting had turned into a burning pain. My skin looked like ripped pantyhose only I wasn’t wearing any pantyhose. There were bits of skin dangling and charred skin. I knew this was a second degree burn.

Bad as my luck was on that day, I went to the right pharmacy because the pharmacist recommended an on-the-shelf medicine called Dyfazine which contains Silver Sulphadiazine which she said was a very effective topical cream for second and third degree burns. It’s also known as SSD Cream but I wasn’t to know that until later when another pharmacist mentioned SSD Cream as being the best medication for burns.

This is a fairly thick cream in a 50gm tub at RM12, much cheaper than seeing a doctor but again I stress, don’t self-medicate like me. I’m a rebel and like to do things my way. The cream should cover the affected area to a depth of 3-5mm.

After applying the cream, I used Watsons cushioned dressing pads as they are non-adhesive an very gentle on skin. Then I covered it with gauze and bandaged it up. The Dyfazine Cream is recommended for 2-3 times application daily.

I was in too much grief and shock to take a photo of the wound on the day of the incident but let’s have a look the slightly disconcerting images of the recovery process now if you are up for it.

There were marked improvements after Day 8, the redness had subsided quite a bit from then on much to my relief. I couldn’t find Dyfazine Cream in all the other pharmacies I visited in mall after mall and even other Caring Pharmacy outlets did not have it so I had to return to the outlet in Subang Parade to purchase two more.

It’s effective and my skin looks almost unscarred now, I am very satisfied and pleased with the progress which may not have been this quick without Dyfazine. It’s left me feeling a little traumatised but I learned a very costly and unforgettabe lesson – how to get off a bike the right way.