scale rot :-( HELP ASAP, vet havent helped

[Annarose15]

That does look a lot like a burn...

One thing I'm concerned about is that you mention "the smell". If he has actively rotting or necrotic tissue on him this needs to be debrided and removed by the vet or it can cause infection. We use zinc-oxide cream on rashes and minor burns in people, not sure what it's supposed to be doing on a snake. I'm not a vet but based on what I've been trained on burn and wound care management in humans I would suggest the following until you get a clear answer from a vet:

Do keep him dry and clean. I would go ahead with the antibiotic soaks as recommended, but pat him dry afterwards. Any excess moisture will promote infection. If you can see any obviously necrotic tissue and if you feel comfortable doing this take some clean, dry gauze and after his soak gently try to remove it. If he doesn't tolerate it or it doesn't come off easily leave it until you see the vet. I wouldn't slather the cream on heavily either, just a light coat.

Maintain a stable, 85-90'F ambient temperature, even at night. Regardless if it's a burn or not it looks like he's lost a significant chunk of his epidermis/"skin", and while they're not like humans which depend on skin for proper thermal regulation, keeping the temperature stable and constant will help him maintain homeostasis and reduce stress.

Leave him alone as much as possible and let him rest in a dark place. Hopefully the little guy'll pull through!

The only part of this post I disagree with is raising the ambient temps so much. Higher temps (with moisture) promote bacterial growth, and I have personally had to reach into a hot oven with a burn already on my hand (NOT comfortable!).

There shouldn't be any harm in letting the friend's friend take a look, but do the antibiotic soaks and ointment (after soaking and patting dry) in the meantime. Continue any antibiotics you have. Give him a much smaller water bowl so he can't aggravate the wound by soaking himself. TURN OFF YOUR UTH, as this is almost definitely the cause of your problem. Something electronic not giving you trouble for years doesn't mean it isn't causing a problem now. Trash the UTH, get a new one, and get a thermostat to regulate it properly. Also, get a temp gun or digital thermometer with probe so you KNOW what the surface temp over the UTH is, rather than having to estimate.

Finally, get to a qualified vet as soon as you can. If you have to, walk in without an appointment and tell them you'll wait. No decent veterinarian would allow an animal that they know is in that condition to go another day without seeing it.

Edit: DO NOT USE NEOSPORIN. It is petroleum-based (bad for scales), and will only cause more issues with a burn. Use betadine and the antibiotic soaks you already have.