Treatment of Skin Tears
Clean the wound gently with warmed sterile water or saline, reposition any skin flap over the wound bed, apply a greasy emollient, and cover with a non-adherent primary dressing followed by a secondary foam dressing. 1
Initial Wound Assessment and Cleansing
- Gently cleanse the wound using warmed sterile water, saline, or a mild antimicrobial solution to remove debris and reduce bacterial load 1
- Remove only superficial debris—deeper debridement is usually unnecessary and may impair healing 1
- Avoid aggressive cleansing that could further damage the fragile tissue 1
- Irrigate gently rather than scrubbing the wound 1
Skin Flap Management
- Reposition the skin flap to cover the wound bed, where it acts as a biological dressing 1
- The detached epidermis may be left in place to serve as a natural barrier 1
- If blisters are present, decompress them by piercing and expressing or aspirating fluid while maintaining the blister roof as a protective covering 1
Dressing Application Protocol
- Apply a greasy emollient (such as white soft paraffin) over the wound area to maintain moisture and prevent dressing adherence 1
- Cover with a non-adherent primary dressing to prevent disruption of healing tissue 1
- Apply a secondary foam dressing to collect exudate and provide protection 1
- Change dressings based on exudate levels, typically every 5-7 days if no complications arise 1
Infection Monitoring and Management
- Monitor for signs of infection including increased pain, erythema, exudate, or odor 1
- Take wound swabs for bacterial and candidal culture if signs of infection develop 1
- Apply topical antimicrobial agents only to infected areas, not routinely 1
- Administer systemic antibiotics only if clinical signs of infection are present 1
What NOT to Do
- Avoid topical antiseptic or antimicrobial dressings for routine wound healing 1
- Do not use honey or bee-related products 1
- Avoid collagen or alginate dressings for routine treatment 1
- Do not perform aggressive debridement 1