Wound Care

Principles of Skin and Wound Care 29
— Brands of thicker creams and ointments:
Vaseline petroleum jelly
Aquaphor
Eucerin cream
Solid cooking fat (e.g., Crisco)
• Application of creams and lotions
— Apply lubricants after washing when the skin has just
been hydrated
— Pat skin dry and apply lotion or cream (some experts disagree
that lubricants may be applied to wet skin)
— Apply lubricants as frequently as necessary to keep skin
soft
— Some lubricants contain dimethecone—a water repellant—
which may require less frequent application
— Most moisturizers may be used on any part of the body
(face, body, eyelids, and hands) unless otherwise specified
— Check with health-care provider regarding which brands
to purchase rather than spending large sums of money on
cosmetic company brands
DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS OF
WOUND HEALING AND REPAIR
An understanding of basic definitions as they apply to wound
care is necessary in order to grasp the concepts and principles
of wound healing and repair.
Definitions and Concepts
• Wound: disruption of normal integumentary anatomic structure
and function.
• Wound healing: complex sequence of events initiated when
an injury occurs and ends when complete wound closure and
successful, functional scar tissue has organized (up to
18 months after wound closure).