Wound care 101

Give an injury the best chance to heal with these expert tips

Even with good hygiene and home care, some cuts and scrapes refuse to heal. In fact, according to the Wound Healing Institute Australia, more than 450,000 of us are living with a chronic wound. Here’s how to treat them properly.

OLD WAYS

When it comes to DIY approaches, there are a number of outdated and ineffective practices. These include allowing wounds to dry out in the sun – this can lead to infection and scarring – and applying chemicals such as alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, which can actually kill off new cells.

“While they might stop infection, they won’t necessarily help a wound heal,” says Louise Webber, a nurse practitioner in wound management.

IRRIGATION HELPS

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that you can’t wash wounds, but the truth is, if you can drink it, you can wash your wound with it,” says Louise.

“Saline solution is also useful, but swimming in the ocean, where there is pollution, is a bad idea.”

Keeping a wound slightly damp improves healing because it allows cells to move as well as encouraging them to grow more quickly.

“Skin cells don’t fly – they swim,” Louise explains.

“So if you dry out a wound, you’re actually making it very difficult for cells to develop, because they can’t travel across the wound bed to grow new tissue. Leaving wounds uncovered usually leads to the formation of a scab, which can slow healing and lead to unsightly scars.”

DRESS IT PROPERLY

Something to consider is the fact that not all dressings suit every person or wound. Some can make a wound too wet, increasing the risk of infection, while others leave them too dry, making the dressing extremely painful to remove.

When dealing with a slow-healing wound, Louise recommends getting professional help.

“If it hasn’t healed within four weeks, seek advice from a wound-care specialist or nurse practitioner,” she says. “They can assess and manage it properly, because there will undoubtedly be a reason it isn’t healing.”

Louise adds that every wound has the potential to improve, if treated correctly.