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Why should wounds not get wet for the first day?

Why are wounds (cuts or scrapes) to be kept dry for the first day or two?


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In the 1960s, George Winter published his controversial research on moist healing. Previously, the accepted wisdom was that to prevent infection of a wound, the wound should be kept as dry as possible. Winter demonstrated that wounds kept moist healed faster than those exposed to the air or covered with traditional dressings.

Various types of dressings can be used to accomplish different objectives including:
- Controlling the moisture content, so that the wound stays moist or dry. An example of a moisture-rateining dressing is Aquacel, which is a "hydrofiber" that is indicated, for example, for partial-thickness burns.
- Protecting the wound from infection,
- Removing slough, and
- Maintaining the optimum pH and temperature to encourage healing.

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