tar removal

missallie · Oct 12, 2001

Polysporin applied liberally works well

nilepoc · Oct 12, 2001

There is a thread on this very topic in the Emergency nursing forum.

We use Mayo here, its cheap and works like a charm. And you can use whats left to make sandwiches

cimersrn · Feb 3, 2004

Hi There! I took ABLS (Advanced Burn Life Support) recently, and ABLS protocol calls for copious amounts of cold H2O to cool and harden the tar. Then, removal of the tar is facilitated with a petroleum based ointment

bwt02 · Feb 16, 2004

We use Abolean facial cream. We often have to get it at Long's Drug Store. It works better than anything. Sounds odd I know.

clgmezzo · Apr 5, 2004

my burn center uses mayo as well, sounds funny but it works great!! however you know how some non experienced practitioners nd hospitals are with burns . . this is FOR REAL. A hospital in our area got a pt with a tar burn which id not require admission to our unit and sched them for our outpt clinic. When the pt came in they had the worst smell coming from this nasty looking dressing. Turns out the doc at the outlying ER had heard we used mayo on tar burns and mad a DRESSING out of it!! the guy left it on or 2 days!!! Our chief attending had us call to tell the nurses in ER over there for future reference its just to get the tar off!!!!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2004

Mayonaisse gets tar off??? Never heard of that one before but I am always willing to learn.

cecilia mary · Oct 2, 2004

Any suggestions for tar removal on a severly burned patient, without doing further damage?

Tried the mayo on a burn patient in Detroit...worked well. But I am now a bit hesitant about using this since it can grow bacteria well. I prefer Vasoline which is cheap. Any petroleum based product will work

allnurses Guide · Mar 10, 2005

I've used mayo before, it works great. Since you are washing it off right away, the bacteria isn't such as issue, mayo grows stuff when its out too long.

mommatrauma, RN · Mar 13, 2005

We've used mineral oil...

courtneyalissa · Jan 8, 2006

I was telling my boss about the mayo and she wanted to know where the reference came from. Does anyone know a nursing/medical journal or book where this can be found? We use SurCleanse to try and clean as much and then silvadene or polymyco to loosen it-does the mayo work better? Just curious always looking into different alternatives.

soliant12 · Jan 8, 2006

Cooking Oil also works quite well.