I cut my thumb while slicing an onion last night... how can I tell if it's infected?

Question

I was using a big knife, not serrated, to cut an onion and pushed down on it. My thumb slid down the top of the knife and then slipped down the sharp tip, opening it. I freaked out.. stuck it under running water, grabbed a towel and put pressure on it while holding it above my head to try to stop bleeding. It finally stopped, I rinsed it, put neosporin with pain relief on it & a band aid. I tried to keep it as elevated as possible all night. It doesn't really hurt now (maybe because of the pain relieving neosporin or maybe I hit a nerve??).

So here's what it looks like now, 12 hours or so after:

-white skin at the split... is this dead skin? (ew)

-it's about a half inch in length to the right of the pad of my left thumb

-maybe 3 to 5 mm deep, at a downward angle

-underneath the skin and below the cut is a little pink... not really swollen, but I guess a little

Oh, and this is the second time in 3 months I've done this. Last time it was with a bagel.

Answer 1

Its fine but your also keeping the wound moist, if it has stopped bleeding I would let it get air with out the band aid so it can dry out and heal properly.

Answer 2

You did the right thing.  The neosporin will speed up the healing time too.  I just did the same thing last week and today I can barely tell I had such a deep cut.  Keep using the neosporin and cover it with a badaid to protect it.  

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In answer to the second part of your question:

You don't have to wear a bandaid when you go to bed if you don't want to.  I found that I tended to keep bumping the very same spot that I cut, especially when I'm half asleep, so for me it was better to keep a bandage on all the time.  I put the neosporin on every time I changed the bandage which was at least once a day.

Answer 3

if you feel the blood pumping each time, i mean if u feel something like pumping in your thumb you need to put something for disinfection  

Answer 4

It does not sound infected.  Keep it clean, covered, and keep an antibiotic on it.  If you notice more pain, redness, or heat it may be infected.  Keep doing the right things and you will be fine.

Everything that you describe is normal.  

Answer 5

You need to sharpen your knives. Dull knives are dangerous for this very reason. You are more likely to cut yourself..If it gets red and very painful, it could be infected. Put some neosporin on it.