guide to managing eczema wounds a… · skin dry and itchy. additionally, oil glands in the skin...
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Guide to Managing Eczema Wounds
www.comvita.com.au
1. Index
2. Managing Eczema Wounds
3. Eczema Wounds
4. Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound GelTM
5. Dressing the wound
6. Minimising tape damage
7. How to secure dressings on fragile skin
8. Other options
9. Restoring the skin barrier
10. Prevention
11. Contact us
12. Notes
MANAGING ECZEMA WOUNDS
ScratchingScratching
Inflammation
Skin infectionDry skin splits
Inflammation
ECZEMA WOUNDSHow do wounds occur?
People with eczema experience frequent damage to the skin from scratching; from inflammation; and
from dry, cracked skin forming deep splits.
Why dress the wound?It is important to cover wounds with a
dressing. This keeps the surface of the wounds moist so that they heal faster and with less scarring.
Dressings help to reduce pain and discomfort and they also lessen the risk of infection. People with eczema
have a higher risk of skin infection. Even though eczema wounds can be very small, bacteria and viruses are
much smaller and can easily get into the tissue through small scratches. If infection is present, a dressing can help to prevent infection from spreading by covering
and containing the fluid.
© Comvita Ltd 2007
MEDIHONEY® ANTIBACTERIAL WOUND GEL™
Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound Gel™ is a sterile wound dressing used in homes and hospitals around the
world. It helps to support wound healing in the following ways:
• The sterile honey forms a physical barrier over the wound, helping to prevent dirt and bacteria
from entering the wound.
• Honey draws fluid from the surrounding tissue into the dressing. This constant outflow of fluid removes
dirt, debris and bacteria from the wound.
• The low pH (acidity) of honey discourages the growth of bacteria and helps to restore an optimal
wound healing environment.
• Medihoney® keeps the wound moist to help it heal more rapidly and reduce scarring.
1. Wash hands and clean the wound.
2. Apply Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound Gel™ onto a clean dressing. Use enough Gel to cover the
wound area to a depth of 3mm.
3. Cover the wound. Change dressing daily until healed.
DRESSING THE WOUND
Always read the label. Use only as directed. Serious wounds should be managed under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
MINIMISING TAPE DAMAGE
HYDROCOLLOID STRIPS
Additional tips• Use hypoallergenic tape.
• Avoid pulling or stretching the tape as you place it on the skin.• Use barrier wipes under tapes to protect skin.
The following pages contain additional suggestions for minimising skin damage using non-adhesive dressings.
If a dressing needs changing frequently, the skin around the wound can become damaged. Adhesives can cause irritation and
tape removal can strip away the top layers of the skin.
Apply strips of hydrocolloid dressing to healthy skin around the wound. Tape the dressing pad to the hydrocolloid strips. When
changing the dressing, remove the dressing pad and tape but do not remove the hydrocolloid strips. Re-tape a clean dressing pad to the
strips. Change hydrocolloid strips once per week.
HOW TO SECURE DRESSINGS
Glove
Cohesive wrapCohesive wrap
Net tubular bandage
Tubular bandage (torso)
Tubular bandage (limb)
OTHER OPTIONS
Sport support
Disposable pants (cut)
Eczema clothingScratch mittens
Disposable pants and tubular bandage
Sport support
When a wound has healed, the new skin is fragile and does not yet have a fully functional barrier. This means that more water can escape
from the skin into the air. This can make the skin dry and itchy.
Additionally, oil glands in the skin may have been damaged from the wound. This means that the skin may not be secreting enough oil on the surface to
keep it soft and naturally moisturised.
To help the skin stay soft and supple, you may need to apply an emollient to the skin until the normal
skin barrier function is restored. This can take quite a while after the wound has healed depending
on how deep the wound was. Apply Medihoney® Natural Eczema Cream to the healed skin three
times a day until the scar recedes.
RESTORING THE SKIN BARRIER
PREVENTION• Use natural soap-free body wash to gently
cleanse and nourish skin without stripping away the protective oils.
• Moisturise skin regularly to help prevent skin dryness and cracking. Dry skin may have cracks through which bacteria can penetrate the tissues. Dryness also
stimulates itching, which in turn encourages scratching and skin damage. A suitable moisturiser is Medihoney® Natural
Skintensive™ Cream for intensive hydration of very dry, cracked skin.
• Wash hands before applying emollients to help reduce the risk of bacteria from hands entering
small breaks in the skin.
• Apply emollients in a gentle downwards motion in the direction of hair growth. This will
help prevent hair follicles being clogged to reduce the risk of infection and it will also minimise heat
and friction on the skin.
CONTACT USTo learn more about eczema management or to find out about the Medihoney® Natural Eczema Care Range, connect with us at:
Comvita Australia 10 Edmondstone St South Brisbane, QLD 4101
P: 1800 466 392 E: [email protected]
CERTIFIEDNATURAL
www.comvita.com.au
NOTES
NOTES
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