Many Misconceptions in Chronic Wound Care: MD Podiatrist

According to Dan Michaels, DPM, “The recommendation that a wound needs to “breathe” and should therefore be left uncovered remains common despite the fact that this notion was dispelled more than 50 years ago. Actually, the exact opposite is true. And there is no debate on the topic. We know for a fact skin injuries heal better when in a moist medium.” 

“The explanation is really quite logical. Every cell inside our body, meaning those covered by skin, are in a moist, watery setting and require this for health. A wound means some of these tissues, ones that should be covered by our skin, are exposed to the outside. Exposure to air will dry the living cells so revealed, causing them to sicken and die. Not conducive to reproducing, which is necessary to build new tissue so that the defect can heal, which occurs when it becomes covered by skin,” says Dr. Michaels.