(484) 274-6883

One of the most influential factors on wound healing is wound moisture content.  This is mostly controlled by dressing selection, from highly absorbent to not absorbent.  When a wound is highly exudative (putting out a lot of drainage), good dressing selection will have to be highly absorptive, like foams, hydrofibers and alginates.  If the wound is too dry, it will likewise not heal.  In this case we need to use dressings that will add moisture to the wound, like hydrogels or hydrocolloids.  Other dressings may even promote autolytic debridement, like transparent films and occlusive dressings.  

​

In wound care the saying is that "Drainage Drives Dressing Decisions!"  If you can think of your wound like the beach: the dry sand is too dry, the ocean is too wet.  We should be aiming to control the moisture of a wound to be like the sand between the surf and the sand.