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Guide to Managing Eczema Wounds

www.comvita.com.au

1. Index

2. Managing Eczema Wounds

3. Eczema Wounds

4. Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound GelTM

5. Dressing the wound

6. Minimising tape damage

7. How to secure dressings on fragile skin

8. Other options

9. Restoring the skin barrier

10. Prevention

11. Contact us

12. Notes

MANAGING ECZEMA WOUNDS

ScratchingScratching

Inflammation

Skin infectionDry skin splits

Inflammation

ECZEMA WOUNDSHow do wounds occur?

People with eczema experience frequent damage to the skin from scratching; from inflammation; and

from dry, cracked skin forming deep splits.

Why dress the wound?It is important to cover wounds with a

dressing. This keeps the surface of the wounds moist so that they heal faster and with less scarring.

Dressings help to reduce pain and discomfort and they also lessen the risk of infection. People with eczema

have a higher risk of skin infection. Even though eczema wounds can be very small, bacteria and viruses are

much smaller and can easily get into the tissue through small scratches. If infection is present, a dressing can help to prevent infection from spreading by covering

and containing the fluid.

©  Comvita  Ltd  2007  

MEDIHONEY® ANTIBACTERIAL WOUND GEL™

Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound Gel™ is a sterile wound dressing used in homes and hospitals around the

world. It helps to support wound healing in the following ways:

• The sterile honey forms a physical barrier over the wound, helping to prevent dirt and bacteria

from entering the wound.

• Honey draws fluid from the surrounding tissue into the dressing. This constant outflow of fluid removes

dirt, debris and bacteria from the wound.

• The low pH (acidity) of honey discourages the growth of bacteria and helps to restore an optimal

wound healing environment.

• Medihoney® keeps the wound moist to help it heal more rapidly and reduce scarring.

1. Wash hands and clean the wound.

2. Apply Medihoney® Antibacterial Wound Gel™ onto a clean dressing. Use enough Gel to cover the

wound area to a depth of 3mm.

3. Cover the wound. Change dressing daily until healed.

DRESSING THE WOUND

Always read the label. Use only as directed. Serious wounds should be managed under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

MINIMISING TAPE DAMAGE

HYDROCOLLOID STRIPS

Additional tips• Use hypoallergenic tape.

• Avoid pulling or stretching the tape as you place it on the skin.• Use barrier wipes under tapes to protect skin.

The following pages contain additional suggestions for minimising skin damage using non-adhesive dressings.

If a dressing needs changing frequently, the skin around the wound can become damaged. Adhesives can cause irritation and

tape removal can strip away the top layers of the skin.

Apply strips of hydrocolloid dressing to healthy skin around the wound. Tape the dressing pad to the hydrocolloid strips. When

changing the dressing, remove the dressing pad and tape but do not remove the hydrocolloid strips. Re-tape a clean dressing pad to the

strips. Change hydrocolloid strips once per week.

HOW TO SECURE DRESSINGS

Glove

Cohesive wrapCohesive wrap

Net tubular bandage

Tubular bandage (torso)

Tubular bandage (limb)

OTHER OPTIONS

Sport support

Disposable pants (cut)

Eczema clothingScratch mittens

Disposable pants and tubular bandage

Sport support

When a wound has healed, the new skin is fragile and does not yet have a fully functional barrier. This means that more water can escape

from the skin into the air. This can make the skin dry and itchy.

Additionally, oil glands in the skin may have been damaged from the wound. This means that the skin may not be secreting enough oil on the surface to

keep it soft and naturally moisturised.

To help the skin stay soft and supple, you may need to apply an emollient to the skin until the normal

skin barrier function is restored. This can take quite a while after the wound has healed depending

on how deep the wound was. Apply Medihoney® Natural Eczema Cream to the healed skin three

times a day until the scar recedes.

RESTORING THE SKIN BARRIER

PREVENTION• Use natural soap-free body wash to gently

cleanse and nourish skin without stripping away the protective oils.

• Moisturise skin regularly to help prevent skin dryness and cracking. Dry skin may have cracks through which bacteria can penetrate the tissues. Dryness also

stimulates itching, which in turn encourages scratching and skin damage. A suitable moisturiser is Medihoney® Natural

Skintensive™ Cream for intensive hydration of very dry, cracked skin.

• Wash hands before applying emollients to help reduce the risk of bacteria from hands entering

small breaks in the skin.

• Apply emollients in a gentle downwards motion in the direction of hair growth. This will

help prevent hair follicles being clogged to reduce the risk of infection and it will also minimise heat

and friction on the skin.

CONTACT USTo learn more about eczema management or to find out about the Medihoney® Natural Eczema Care Range, connect with us at:

Comvita Australia 10 Edmondstone St South Brisbane, QLD 4101

P: 1800 466 392 E: info@comvita.com.au

CERTIFIEDNATURAL

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NOTES

NOTES

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