His research showed that, contrary to the conventional wisdom at the time that wounds should be allowed to dry out and form scabs to promote healing, wounds instead heal faster if kept moist.
Winter's discovery, clinical research has demonstrated that moist and wet dressings are far more effective than dry dressings in helping chronic wounds heal.
Wet or moist treatment of wounds has been shown to promote re-epithelialization and result in reduced scar formation, as compared to treatment in a dry environment. The inflammatory reaction is reduced in the wet environment, thereby limiting injury progression.
A dry cell is considered a dead cell. Moisture in the wound environment promotes cell hydration and survival. Neutrophils, macrophages, and fibroblasts, all key cells in the inflammatory and proliferative healing phases, cannot thrive in a dry environment.
Benefits of Dry Healing
Natural Healing Process Dry healing allows the body to use its natural healing mechanisms, which can result in a more vibrant and detailed tattoo. Simplified Routine Without the need for multiple applications of ointments or creams, the aftercare routine becomes simpler and less time-consuming.
Others will tell you that antibacterial ointment is a major "no-no." And the old-school artists advise against using any ointments or lotions at all, saying they may be vehicles for bacteria and can cause infection and scabbing.
Normal skin is the ideal canvas, with even texture, good elasticity, and excellent ink retention. Dry skin poses challenges, as it is less supple and can cause the needle to drag, resulting in inconsistent lines and patchy color.
The wet-to-dry technique begins when the clinician applies gauze (moistened with sterile saline or water) to the wound bed. The dressing is allowed to dry and adhere to the tissue in the wound bed. Every four to six hours, the clinician firmly pulls the dry gauze (not re-moistened) from wound bed at a 90-degree angle.
Moisture helps new skin cells form and repair the wound. This may also apply to scabs. Keeping a scab moist with petroleum jelly and protected with a bandage may help the wound heal faster than if you leave the scab dry. Whether the scab is dry or moist, it's important to make sure it doesn't peel off prematurely.
To help the injured skin heal, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.
Fresh fruits and vegetables eaten daily will also supply your body with other nutrients essential to wound healing such as vitamin A, copper and zinc. It may help to supplement your diet with extra vitamin C. Keep your wound dressed. Wounds heal faster if they are kept warm.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment® protects the skin to enhance the natural healing process and help prevent external irritants from reaching the wound. The minor wound and burn ointment has a sting-free formula that provides soothing relief to minor wounds, cuts, scrapes and burns.
Wounds need to be covered so that they can heal properly. When a wound is left uncovered, the new surface cells that are being created can easily dry out. When these important cells dry out, it tends to slow down the healing process. A wound should be covered using a clean bandage.
One of the first uses was wine mixed with oil was a common remedy in the ancient world to cleanse wounds and assuage their pain as noted in the context of Alcohol in the Bible. The Sumerians used beer as an antiseptic along with the dressing of wounds, using up to 19 different types of beer.
The initial plaster or dressing should be kept in place for up to two days to start the healing process effectively. After this primary care, the wound can be re-covered and kept in a moist environment for about five days.
Lower Risk of Infection: A moist environment prevents the wound from drying out, which can create a barrier against infection-causing pathogens. Additionally, wound dressings used in moist wound healing often contain antimicrobial properties, further reducing the risk of infections.
Re-wrap the area every 3-4 hours because the bandage will loosen. Do NOT sleep with the bandage on.
Yellowish crusting can form on a scab when pus builds up. Pus is usually a sign of infection, and it can indicate either a bacterial infection, such as impetigo, or a viral infection, such as herpes. Sometimes, the scab can crack, and a small amount of clear yellow or pink fluid can ooze out.
Put on a bandage.
A bandage speeds healing by keeping the wound moist. It also creates a barrier against infection and keeps the skin around it dry. Bandage choices include films, gauzes, gels, foams and treated coverings.
Wound healing can be delayed by systemic factors that bear little or no direct relation to the location of the wound itself. These include age, body type, chronic disease, immunosuppression, nutritional status, radiation therapy, and vascular insufficiencies.
After 2-3 days, you can either pull out the gauze and leave it out, or put in a new strip of ribbon gauze (a fresh packing change), depending on what the emergency physician told you to do.
Pros of dry healing a tattoo
For people with sensitive skin and or strong allergies to remedy creams, dry healing your tattoo is often the only viable option in order to avoid additional irritation due to the ingredients in aftercare lotions.
As with tipping waitstaff, 20-25% percent is a good standard. An easy way to include tipping in your budget is to add it in when getting the estimated costs for having your work done. So, if your tattoo is expected to cost $200, with a 20-percent tip, that's $240.