Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Shifting gears (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/)

-   -   Brake oil on wounds? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/133127-brake-oil-wounds.html)

Hi everyone,
Unfortunately I had a minor fall while riding my Classic 500 this morning (braked slighly on an oil patch :Frustrati). Ended up with quite a bit of road rash on my hands. This happened at about 7 in the morning, when chemists and doctors are shut. A couple of guys stopped to help me, including a rickshaw walla. I washed my hands, and the rickshaw walla suggested that i put some brake fluid on the wounds. I had seen my mechanic do this previously once when working on my bike, so I applied the oil on the wounds. Does anyone know why applying the brake fluid considered to help?
Thanks,
Sam

:Shockked: Why would you do this?? Brake fluid is a hygroscopic substance (absorbs moisture, even from atmosphere if kept exposed) and can cause extreme skin irritation and dryness. So just think what would happen when the godforsaken liquid goes INTO a wound! Have you seen how paint-stripper behaves? Imagine dipping your finger into a bottle of it!

Mechanics use engine oil/petrol/diesel to clean the grease off their hands (like before a meal etc), not to disinfect their wounds!

Oh, and I'd take an autorickshaw driver's opinion on road directions, not medical problems. Did he say DOT 3 will heal your wounds better than DOT 4?

Cheers,
Rahul

PS: I hope you were wearing a helmet atleast, if not gloves and a jacket.

Hi Rahul,
I wasn't aware of such effects. I didn't just rely on the auto driver's recommendation. I'd read about it online as well, and the wounds were stinging like crazy, so I went ahead with it. Yeah, I was wearing a full-face helmet. I never ride without one.

At the most basic level, we all know that engine oil even in it's purest form is not a hygienic substance, how can old engine oil ever be a disinfectant ? Hope you went to a real doctor after this.

I can understand using oil on burns as it absorbs heat. But using oil on open wound is unheard of. Please see a doctor asap.
Don't listen to unqualified people when it comes to your health and well being.

Let me share a little experience with you. I worked in the merchant navy and offshore for a little over 8 years. Every day, hard, knuckle breaking wordl. I alwyas had all sort of cuts and nicks on my hands. But I never ever got an infections. And neither did my colleagues. It was a well known fact on the fleet. Even though in those days there would be 20-30 guys sweating away in the engineroom with fans blowing continuously.

So I'm not sure what the medical explanation is, but an 'oily environment' does seem to keep bacteria and infections at bay.

Pouring oil, especially brake oil, on a new open wound is something I wouldn't do. Brake fluid is horrible stuff.

Jeroen
PS: I also, never was a day ill during these 8 years. I've been in Delhi for 7 month and I've had as many illnesses during that period. In fact, as I type I'm at home feeling pretty sorry for myself

Hi Sam, brake oil is not going to help with road rash much. The reason why mechanics put brake oil on a wound is because it is a fantastic styptic agent (stops the bleeding).

With a deep cut dripping blood all over, and with the owner standing there with no concern for the chap's well-being (except that he doesn't drip the blood all over the shiny paint and upholstery), the mechanic has to find a quick-fix that works. Voila, brake oil.

And no, despite all the adverse comments, a few drops of brake oil on an open wound didn't ever kill anyone (not even me - yes, yes, I've applied DOT-1, -2, -3, -4, whatever, many times, and healing has been uneventful - hey, I do also have the background to understand whether a wound is healing well or not! :D )

Wow! Thanks for sharing! Just goes to show how polluted our cities here in India are. I guess those living here from birth develop an immunity of sorts to the pollution.

Thanks for the reply. Your post cleared that up for me. Makes sense that the oil would help curb bleeding. :)

I known of the use and have used brake oil on wounds to stop bleeding and as a disinfectant/antiseptic till I could get my hands on one. I know it worked, but I cannot offer any scientific explanation to back up the same. I would also reiterate that I used it only when nothing else was readily available and not as a routine measure.

Interesting. So how exactly does it stop bleeding? Whatever the mechanism but avoid it since its gonna cause more infection probably in an open wound. The mechanic might have his reasons for using it, but we don't.

For that we need to look at the composition of brake fluid.

This is like one of those things that is commonly practiced among drivers. I am sure this should be left as the last resort, but I too remember being offered this remedy by our driver. He said that it helps the wound heal faster by helping it dry up faster and prevents it from any infection.

But I am sure there are many side effects to it that the drivers are not aware of. But drivers swear by this remedy for any cuts and bruises.

Interesting fact. Though I would still use clean water and apply pressure on the wound unless its real bad. In which case the ER sounds good. But if both options are not feasible, this could prove handy.

Quoting from Nulon's DOT 3 Brake Fluid Safety Data Sheet

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS
■ Polyethylene glycols appear to act as slow-acting parasympathomimetic-like compounds. When given intravenously they may
increase the tendency of blood to clot and if given rapidly may cause cell clotting and death from embolism.
Repeated or excessive exposure may lead to liver and kidney damage.

So does it cauterize the blood vessels?

It brakes the blood from leaving the body.