Use wound patch correctly: tips and tricks from an expert

Use wound patch correctly: tips and tricks from an expert

How to apply wound patches correctly

A small cut, a bladder or abrasion - pharmacies offer a variety of plasters for wound care. They protect wounds, prevent drying out and promote quick healing. Thomas Brückner, expert for medical devices at the Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (BPI), explains which plasters are suitable for which type of wounds and how to use them correctly.

Everyone knows it: you are carelessly careless and the knife slips off, the finger bleeds. A pavement on it and everything is good - it seems that easy to be with small wounds. But not every wound is small and not every pavement is the same. So which plaster should you use in which wound? And what should you pay attention to when using?

"It is particularly important, regardless of whether it is a small or somewhat larger wound, to protect the wound from dirt, pathogens and drying out," explains Brückner. In contrast to the widespread opinion that wounds should heal in the air, experts now agree: wounds are best healing under a pavement in a damp environment. "Since injuries can always happen, it is advisable to have a selection of different plasters on hand both at home and when traveling," recommends Brückner. Detailed advice on suitable wound powers and their application can be obtained in the pharmacy.

The selection of plasters in the shops is diverse. Depending on where the wound is on the body and how big it is, you can choose the right plaster.

tips from the BPI expert: apply wound patch correctly

• wash your hands thoroughly before sticking the patch.
• clean dirty wounds with lukewarm tap water, sterile wound cleaning preparations or a saline from the pharmacy.
• heavily dirty wounds or bite and scratch wounds by animals should be disinfected with a wound disinfectant after cleaning.
• Use plasters only for the intended purpose. For example, a "bladder plaster" is not suitable for cuts.
• Make sure that the patch is slightly larger than the wound.
• Remove the pavement carefully, but with a jerk. In small children or people with sensitive or irritated skin, you can put some baby oil on the glue point or have the child bathed in not too warm water. In this way, plasters are easier to replace. If the pavement sticks to crusts, you can solve it with cotton swabs that were soaked in baby oil.
• For heavily bleeding wounds or wounds that "go apart", you should see a family or pediatrician.

For successful wound care, it is important to select the right plasters and apply them correctly. With the tips of the BPI expert you can make sure that your wounds are optimally protected and healed quickly.