Should Dressings Be Covered?

Any form of debridement (surgical, chemical, mechanical, or autolytic) will qualify a wound for coverage. Additionally, if the current treatment involves debridement, then the dressings used for the debridement are also covered, although the debriding agents (e.g., Santyl) are themselves not covered.

When should you stop covering a wound?

A handful of studies have found that when wounds are kept moist and covered, blood vessels regenerate faster and the number of cells that cause inflammation drop more rapidly than they do in wounds allowed to air out. It is best to keep a wound moist and covered for at least five days.

Do wounds need air to heal?

A: Airing out most wounds isn't beneficial because wounds need moisture to heal. Leaving a wound uncovered may dry out new surface cells, which can increase pain or slow the healing process. Most wound treatments or coverings promote a moist — but not overly wet — wound surface.