Suffered a cut

[Mr uppercut]

So yesterday I was sparring as usual, without headgear. I know, I know, stupid choice. But I usually won't spar using a headgear as my sparring partners gloves are pretty soft. But yesterday, I sparred with a new partner, and he was using brand new gloves, and I ended up getting cut in the 6th round. It's not like just a scratch or anything, the skin on my forehead literally is split open, but thankfully it's not too deep or that large of a cut.

So now that I'm off sparring for at least a good two weeks, does anyone know how to keep my sparring skills sharp? I'm a competing boxer, so I tend to spar a lot. I'm not too sure how to keep my fighting skills sharp though if I can't spar. Should I shadow box with my gloves on to keep my body used to the weight of the gloves? Or is it better to shadowbox without gloves? Should I punch the bag as if I were in a 3 round bout with lots of head movement, in and out footwork, sidestepping and flurry of punches? Or should I just keep the pace slow on the bag and work on technique?

And second question, how do I heal the cut fast? I put a disinfectant and neosporin last night, then left a band aid over it. This morning the cut wasn't like open anymore and it looks to be healing well. What else do I do to make sure it heals fast and how do I know when it is completely healed so I can spar again?

 

[Wanderlei4Life]

Depends how deep the cut is, my guessing will take a month to solid heal. 2 weeks maybe too short and it can reopen if hit there.

As to stay sharp, yes shadow box using with your wraps and small 5 lb weights in each hand. I would just do circuit training if I was you. 12 rounds, 1 round shadow, 1 round speed bag, 1 round heavy bag just to stay sharp and busy.

Good luck

 

[jeremyhi09]

if it hasnt been more than a couple hours, go get it stitched. it will heal faster, scar less, and stand a lower chance of reopening during competition. make sure you tell the doctor that you intend to box, and they will likely go heavier on them. youll be out for maybe two weeks depending on the depth and the doctors orders, but if its bad enough to stop sparring for a while go get it done.

 

[Mr uppercut]

Well I know it not deep enough to get stitches, that's for sure. The bleeding stopped pretty quick. And the pain quickly subsided after about 2 hours. So I know it's not actually deep enough to go get stitches, so that's out of the picture.

 

[CatchnShoot]

If the wound is closed, you really don't requires stitches. Change your bandage every day, and add a bit of polysporin/neosporin and keep it covered. Keeping it moist speeds healing, so with regular bandages, polysporin or even vaseline will do that. If it requires cleaning (after the first couple of days) just use regular soap and water, and try to pat dry rather than rubbing it.
Do NOT use hydrogen peroxide/iodine/mecurchrome as these all increase irritation to the area and will lengthen the healing process.

A bit better:
Johnson and Johnson have a line of bandages called (I think) Advanced Healing. These look almost clear, and are actually a hydrocolloid type of bandage that will absorb exudate, and speed healing. Your local pharmacy should have them (or something similar) or they can get them for you. There are many brands of this type of bandage, but they range in price pretty dramatically. AFAIK one hydrocolloid heals as well as the next, so the J&J product is at a decent price point, and WILL speed healing.

+ this is best
Another thing you can do is pump up the antioxidants. This is supposed to speed healing by up to 20-25%. Easiest and cheapest is good old Vitamin C. About 2000mg/day should do the trick.
Other sources could be acaii berry/pomegranate/grape seed extract (50mg or so)/bromelain (500mg or so)/rutin (450 mg or so) You don't have to do all of these, but all of them will help.

Aftercare:
If it scars, you can cover it with silicone sheets, or tape to reduce scarring (this should decrease the chances of it being an easy target for future cuts)

3M Kind Removal Silicone Tape
or
Mepitac will work well.


May the punch be with you.

 

[Mr uppercut]

Great advice so far guys! Anything else for keeping sharp without sparring?

 

[pridedorim]

Man, you are asking questions that you should be asking to your trainer (about how to keep your sparring skills sharp) and a good qualified doctor (how to heal faster the cut).

Here you will have plenty of answers (and maybe few of them would be not that bad), but if you really want a good answer from someone that really knows, you have to ask a professional.

 

[Mr uppercut]

I know man haha I asked my trainer. But it would be nice to have second and third opinions don't you think? And doctors aren't cheap around here...