Moist Wound Healing

What is moist wound healing?

The idea of moist wound healing was born in 1962 when George D. Winter discovered that epithelization, the process of wound closure, would proceed twice as fast in a moist environment than under a scab. Today, the principle of moist healing is generally accepted in the professional field, where many products have been developed for the healing of chronic wounds via moist wound therapy. 

How can moist wound healing support faster and more beautiful healing?

Covering a wound with a moist wound healing product creates an ideal wound climate which will...

  • Enable most favourable conditions for wound closure (epithelization), the formation of new tissue and the immune system.
  • Let the healing process remain undisturbed and ensure faster healing.
  • Prevent scab formation to optimize cell migration and reduce the likelihood of scarring.
Allowing wounds to heal in a moist environment has many benefits. The three main advantages are:

1. Optimization of the wound healing process
Moist wound therapy helps to create and maintain optimal conditions for wound healing and cell growth. The wound exudate acts as a transport medium for many bioactive molecules that ensure new tissue to form coordinately. Cells will grow, divide and migrate at an increased rate to optimize the wound healing process.

2. Faster healing
Clinical studies prove that the wound healing process is faster in a moist wound environment. As optimum wound conditions are created, the pace of cell growth and the formation of new tissue is increased. This speeds up wound healing by up to 50%*!

3. Prevention of scarring leading to improved cosmetic results
In a moist environment scabs are prevented, which inhibit the formation of new tissue. If wounds heal without scabs and the wound healing process remains undisturbed, the likelihood of scarring is decreased which leads to improved cosmetic results.

 *Agren MS et al. Occlusion versus air exposure on full-thickness biopsy wounds.
Journal of Wound Care; 2001, Vol.10, No. 8: 301-304

What is it?

Hydrocolloids are thickening, gelling and stabilizing agents. They are able to absorb water and wound fluid, swell and form a gel. Due to their high water retention capacity (even under pressure) excess of wound fluid is locked away. Hence, hydrocolloidal dressings take up wound fluid to form a gel that produces a moist environment which facilitates fast healing.

How does it help?

Hydrocolloid wound dressings ensure faster and more beautiful healing as they provide a moist environment, which accelerates wound repair and reduces the risk of scarring. Further, they cushion the wound and thus relieve pain and pressure. The hydrocolloidal matrix is very flexible, waterproof yet breathable and permeable to water vapour. Also, hydrocolloidal wound dressings are tolerated very well by sensitive skin.