There is a lot of misinformation about wound healing! The fact is that normal people with ordinary minor wounds will heal even if managed with Aunt Tessie’s homemade salve. Chronic, complex, or unusual wounds need proper care and feeding for optimal outcomes. Here are some common myths about wound healing.
Myth 1: Clean it with peroxide.
Truth: WRONG!!! Well, MOSTLY wrong. A SINGLE cleaning with peroxide is reasonable to remove debris from wounds with maggots and for road or snow rash wounds with visible debris. (Skin abraded on snow is generally as contaminated as road rash skin.) Repeated cleaning with hydrogen peroxide will slow wound healing. Peroxide remains cytotoxic to healing tissue at 1/1000th of the concentration needed to control bacterial growth. Soap and water is a better all around choice for wound cleaning.
Myth 2: Let the air get at it.
Truth: Again, mostly wrong. There are specific types and locations of wounds that are managed dry– and even then, a dry cover bandage is usually recommended for mechanical protection. Skin cells at a wound edge want to migrate across open tissue to re-establish “contact inhibition,” but they don’t have a direct blood supply. The blood vessels are layers deeper in the subcutaneous tissue. Healing relies on delivery of nutrition and growth factors dissolved in moisture from the subcutaneous tissue, and on removal of waste products by wound exudate. A dry wound bed is like a neighborhood with no food store and no trash pickup. Who wants to live there?
Myth 3: Wrap the bandage in plastic to shower.
Truth: Again, mostly wrong. In the first place, plastic wrap around the wound tends to leak, so the bandage winds up wet with shower water and debris. The wet bandage then waterlogs the skin it contacts, and waterlogged tissue doesn’t heal. Moreover, wounds need cleaning. Changing a bandage without cleaning the wound and the tissue around it is only a halfway job. Wounds drain waste products, and bacteria thrive in that residue. Gentle mechanical cleaning with soap and water at dressing changes decreases the risk of infection and accelerates healing.
Caution: this recommendation does not apply to wounds with deep exposed structures, like bone, tendon, or abdominal contents! If your wound is deep enough for this to be a consideration, you should be working with a wound care specialist.
When your wound is deep enough or your bandage requires that normal washing isn’t appropriate, consider using a cast cover (for arms or legs in the ace bandage aisle) for your shower. They are more durable and less treacherous than improvisation with garbage bags and duct tape. They are available in the ACE bandage section of the pharmacy.
Myth 4: If I ignore it, it will go away.
Truth: If your wound is lasting long enough that you are aware of having to ignore it, your wound may fall into the complex/chronic/unusual category– or it could be skin cancer. Early evaluation by a trained wound care professional can set you on the best path to resolution.
There is more information about healing complex wounds and finding a specialist in wound healing at the website (citation). If your wound is causing you worry or if it is not healing normally, specialist care is for you. ABWMS is here to help you.
Advance Your Career in Wound Care: Wound care certification, Wound care certification exam, Wound care fellowship, Certified wound care physicians, and Wound care management.