Wound Covering:
No Appointment Necessary

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, September 10 and December 17, 2006
Show 324

To cover or not to cover, that's a question a lot of people ask me about treating minor wounds at home. The simple answer is a covered wound heals faster and better. When you get a minor cut or scrape, the body creates an environment where cells migrate freely and bond together to form new tissue. For that to happen, you need to have moisture at the site of the wound so the body can create something called exudate. Exudate is a fluid that contains healing cells and proteins. It spreads across the bottom and sides of wounds, helping them heal fast. When a wound doesn't have enough moisture, the exudate dries up and forms a scab. The scab creates a barrier that forces new skin cells to move around the scab rather than the wound. This may cause the skin to heal in an irregular pattern. And when the scab is gone, you may be left with a scar. When you cover a wound with a protective bandage, you help exudate form by creating a moist environment. So always remember, a covered wound heals faster and better.