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A patient came to my surgery and apologised for her weepy leg. It transpired that she had had curettage for a benign skin lesion at the local hospital. The consultant dermatologists recommended wound care was to wash the wound and apply Vaseline twice daily. This was also given in written instructions to the patient.

I enquired of the practice nurse who said yes locally the dermatologists are very keen on this form of after care. Has anyone else come this treatment?

Cheers Luke

 

My husband has had leg ulcers for years 20plus and yes the Dermatologist has always suggested vaseline as a treatment form. Better than that-there is a product called a vaseline adaptic that can cover a wound quite nicely while not being overly drippy. One new item that we have recently come across that helps heal wounds so much we are astounded after 20 plus years of dealing with leg ulcers (pyoderma gangrenosum)-is having my husband take Whey protein three times a day to help heal his leg and foot ulcers. It is amazing! He almost died in Nov with a internal infection (sepsis) that became septic from an ulcer that was gangreen and massive. It is almost gone now.This is the fastest we have ever seen one heal-of course he used the KCI wound vac for over a month but since then he has continued to make great headway.

 

"apply Vaseline twice daily"

only if they are practicing dermatology AND proctology!

 

I am awaiting some expert comment to post here, but a couple of verbal comments from wound care experts have been that this is a really bad approach.

 

No expert, by any means.....Vaseline has been promoted for wound healing for many years because it`s occlusive nature can prevent transdermal water loss. However, most dermatologists do not recommend it as occlusion with such a non-sterile product can promote bacterial proliferation on the surface of a wound.

This is a comparison study of occlusive dressing and vaseline gauze on a skin graft donor site;

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11301657

It concluded that The wound of a skin graft donor site in an occlusive moist condition would heal faster than that covered with conventional Vaseline gauze

Cheers,
Bel