How to Use a Wound Gel

Wound gels are used to provide dressings for wounds resulting from ulcers, gangrene, burns, and infected wounds among others.  Wound gels are excellent for helping to create or maintain a moist environment.  The basic concept behind moist wound healing is that the presence of exudate in a wound will provide an environment that stimulates healing.  Wound exudate is a fluid that has exuded out of a tissue or its capillaries due to injury or inflammation.

Things you will need

  • Select brand of wound gel – for this article we will look at the Hydrocolloid wound gel
  • Occlusive dressing – air and water tight trauma dressing, e.g. Vaseline gauze

Instructions

  1. Hydrocolloid wound gel cleanses and debrides wounds and absorbs large quantities of wound exudate.
  2. Cleanse the wound as best as possible using water.
  3. Apply the wound gel from the tube directly to the wound, partially filling the cavity
  4. Seal the wound with an occlusive dressing.
  5. Once the wound is sealed an exudate is generated which is then absorbed by the gel/dressing combination, which swells to fill the entire wound cavity.
  6. The gel can be replaced after several days.

Don’ts

  • Do not use wound gels for moderate to highly exudated wounds

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