Moist Wound Healing

What is moist wound healing?

The idea of moist wound healing was born in 1962 when George D. Winter discovered that epithelisation, 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 help to heal wounds faster and beautifully?

Covering up a wound with a moist wound healing product provides an optimal wound climate which will...
  • enable most favourable conditions for wound closure (epithelisation), 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 co-ordinately. 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*.

* Wigger-Alberti W et al., Journal of Wound Care 2009; 18(5):208-14

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 and assurance beautiful healing

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 and results in improved cosmetic results.

For which burns?

The Elastoplast SOS Burn Plaster is intended to be used for the treatment of first and second degree burns. First degree burns only affect the epidermis, the upper layer of the skin. The burn area is red, slightly swollen, painful, dry, and without blisters, e.g. a mild sunburn. Second degree burns involve the epidermis and the deeper part of the skin, the dermis layer. Often scald injuries or flames cause them. The burn appears red, blistered, swollen and painful.

Two major effects: cooling and moisturizing

The Elastoplast SOS Burn Plaster provides immediate pain relief by instantly cooling the wound, reduces the risk of blistering and continuously moisturizes the wound. Hence, a moist environment to enhance wound healing and decrease the risk of scarring is created. The plaster consists of two zones: the flat border, coated with a skin-friendly adhesive, and the cushioning wound pad, which has minimal adhesion but keeps close contact to the burn.