No, wound healing best occurs when the wound bed is moist and the healing cells can travel across the wound to close it. The purpose of the dressing is to maintain the right amount of moisture. It will also protect the wound from contamination from the environment.
Your wound can get wet in the shower, unless you have stitches, staples, exposed bone or your doctor has advised against it. Make sure you ask before you shower or bathe. If you need to keep your wound dry, use a trash bag or some sort of plastic cover to keep it dry when you shower. You should not be “soaking” your wound.
Yes, moist skin is less likely to break down. But do not put skin lotion directly in the wound. If you have broken skin, please ask the doctor for a recommended product.
You’ll want to use lotions that are emollients, meaning they put moisture back into the skin. Examples of emollients that may be recommended are: Curel Moisturizing, Nivea, Neutrogena, A&D ointment, Cetaphil, and Eucerin Moisturizing.
No. These will dry out the wound bed, and the goal is to keep the wound bed moist. In addition, skin may become burned, which can cause other problems.
Some skin changes are not harmful, but others, like redness, can be a sign of problems. Inspect the skin around the wound daily for any changes. Report changes, especially redness, to your health care provider when they happen.
Yes, it is very important to keep your blood sugar in check. High blood sugar can slow down or prevent wound healing. Talk to your caregiver about a good goal for your blood sugar.
Please inform your doctor of any of the following:
- Pain from your wound
- Increase in drainage from your wound
- High blood sugar if you are diabetic
- Redness in the skin around your wound
- Bleeding from your wound
- Changes in your body temperature, blood pressure or mental orientation
- Need for dressing supplies
- Any new wounds you find on your body
- Any changes in your medications
- Difficulty in completing the prescribed dressing changes
- Any questions or concerns you have about your wound care
