Keep Wounds Moist or Dry?

Is it better to keep a wound moist or let it dry out in the air?  There’s a lot confusion about it. In fact, the notion is still widespread that air aids in the healing process, “so you need to let wound dry out in the air”.

This assumption is incorrect, as various studies have demonstrated this falsity over the past decades.

What is the best way to take care of a wound and how to keep it from scarring (or at least minimize the risk)?

What you may not know about scabbing; scabs slow the wound healing process. When wounds are kept exposed to the air they will dry and form a scab.  The purpose of the scab is to protect the wound from environmental contamination. But, at the same time, scabbing has some disadvantages.

A scab forms a barrier to the generation of new tissue. Studies have shown that under influence of scabbing the regenerative wound healing processes take more time, thus increase the risk on scarring. “Moisture prevents the formation of a hard scab, which acts as a barrier to the development of new tissue”, says dermatologist Bruce Katz, M.D., associate clinical professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Scabs inhibit quick healing and are blockades. They block the skin’s process of creating new cells and tissue. “Grass doesn’t grow well under a rock; skin cells don’t grow well under a scab.”

Why Keep a Wound Moist?

Wounds heal faster and better when kept moist. The first scientist to discover the benefits of keeping a wound moist was George D. Winter.  In 1962, he found out that the regrowth (epithelialization) of skin would proceed twice as fast in a moist environment than under a scab.  He demonstrated this in a controlled study in which wounds covered with a film dressing healed in about 12 to 15 days while similar wounds exposed to the air healed in about 25 to 30 days.

Our body’s cells need moisture to survive. Wounds heal up to 50% faster in a moist protect environment and there’s less risk of infection. Exposed wounds run the risk of infection, which is complicated when patients have diabetes and vascular disease (PVD or PAD). Moist wound healing is considered the ideal environment for optimal wound healing.  The development of a scab is no longer necessary, we use advanced wound care dressings that enhances the body’s natural defenses and healing processes to improve healing outcomes and contributes to improved patient comfort.