Patients present with all types of cuts and scrapes at the pharmacy counter but there are options to deal with them.
Cuts and scrapes are part and parcel of an active life — just ask any parent or guardian. However, as we grow older, mitigating and managing wounds becomes more and more important.
While most wounds will heal within two-to-six weeks, healing may be delayed for reasons that can include infection and poor dietary intake, according to the HSE.
Eating well helps the body to heal faster and fight infection. If a person is not eating enough healthy food or the right balance of foods, this can delay or slow down healing. Protein is very important for wound healing as it helps to build and maintain muscle, to heal tissue, and support a healthy immune system.
A person may be recommended a supplement, such as a vitamin and mineral supplement, to support healing. However, the HSE advises that patients should not take a supplement without first discussing it with their doctor or other healthcare professional.
There is a range of products to help in this area. Calshake is an oral nutritional supplement powder which is reconstituted with milk to provide a high caloric shake. Included in the Nutricia range of products is Complan Shake. It is a food for special medical purposes and is taken under medical supervision. Another product, Nutricia Calogen, is suitable for patients requiring electrolyte restrictions.
Like so many aspects of health, smoking negatively affects wound healing. Smoking causes constriction/ tightness in the blood vessels, which reduces the f low of blood, oxygen, and nutrition to the wound, interfering with the healing process.
Wounds can be quite distressing for young children, but there is a range of over-the-counter (OTC) products to help ease the pain and protect the wound.
PAIN RELIEF
Firstly, there are a number of age-appropriate and trusted medications to soothe pain, including Calpol, which has a number of products. There is also Nurofen for Children. This provides fast, effective, long-lasting relief from teething pain, toothache, earache, headache, muscular minor aches and sprains, sore throat, cold and f lu symptoms, and it also reduces a fever.
Aloe vera is well known for its healing properties and it is contained in several popular products, including Aloe Pura’s Aloe Vera Gel. It soothes and cools the skin while its moisturising and nourishing properties help restore dry and damaged skin. The Aloe Vera gel can be applied to stretch marks, scars, dry chapped skin, sunburn, skin irritations, and minor burns. Another similar product is Lifeplan Organic Aloe Vera Gel.
The iconic Sudocrem is also recommended for the treatment of wounds. Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream has been used by families since 1931 and it is great for soothing sore skin as well as treating cuts and grazes, acne, eczema, sunburn, minor burns, bedsores, and chilblains.
One of the best-known uses of this product is in the treatment of nappy rash, a common irritation of the skin caused or aggravated by contact with urine and faeces in a nappy. The rash starts with a slight reddening of the skin in the nappy area and can progress to soreness and discomfort.
For nappy rash, Sudocrem is clinically proven to soothe and heal a baby’s delicate skin, and it works in three simple ways: An emollient soothes sore or inf lamed skin; the ingredients contain healing properties; and a mild local anaesthetic helps to ease pain and irritation.
Sudocrem can also be used in the treatment of eczema. Its emollient soothes and softens skin, while its zinc oxide helps to reduce the loss of fluid from the skin. Meanwhile, its water-repellent excipient base, which includes paraffin and other waxes, creates a protective seal around the affected area.
Vaseline also has products designed to aid healing. One of these is Vaseline Healing Jelly Cocoa Butter. This classic skin protectant, best known for its properties that accelerate the skin’s natural healing process by forming a protective barrier to seal in moisture, is infused with cocoa butter. It is tested by dermatologists and does not clog pores. It is great for dull skin, giving it a natural-looking glow while being gentle, and is also suitable for sensitive skin.
Vaseline Jelly is also known for protecting minor cuts and burns, as it creates a protective barrier on the skin’s surface to lock in moisture to help protect skin while it heals. By sealing in moisture, it also helps to reduce the dryness of scarred skin, once the skin has healed. This may help to improve the appearance of scars, making the skin look smoother and softer, as well as helping to reduce the itchiness caused by dryness.
In terms of nappy rash, Vaseline can also be helpful. Vaseline Healing Jelly Baby’s triple-purified petroleum jelly is paediatrician-recommended and formulated to soothe nappy rash. With a light baby powder fragrance and a gentle formula, it’s ideal for protecting and soothing dry skin on a baby’s face and body.
PROTECTION
There is also Cavilon Durable Barrier Cream, which provides long-lasting protection from bodily f luids whilst moisturising the skin. It is a concentrated, breathable, fragrance-free moisturising skin barrier that resists wash-off and allows adhesives to adhere. It is ideal for the moisturisation of at-risk and/or severely dry skin, and it provides a barrier to protect skin.
E45 is another trusted, well-known brand. Its Eczema Repair Cream is a steroid-free cream formulated to treat the symptoms of eczema. Eczema is an inf lammatory skin condition that can cause dry, irritated skin. Atopic eczema is the most common form of eczema and causes the skin to become itchy, dry, and cracked.
Aloe vera is well known for its healing properties and it is contained in several popular products
E45 Eczema Repair Cream has been formulated for the symptomatic treatment and relief of skin redness and itching that comes with atopic eczema. It is fast-absorbing, dermatologically-tested, and is clinically proven to treat the symptoms of atopic eczema and soothe very dry, irritated skin on the face and body.
HC45 Hydrocortisone Cream is an effective treatment for itchy skin, irritation, and inflammation due to dry skin conditions — such as eczema and dermatitis — insect bites, nickel allergies, plant allergies, and other irritants. HC45 Hydrocortisone Cream contains 1% w/w hydrocortisone acetate, an ingredient that works by changing how the body reacts to irritants — which can aggravate eczema and dermatitis — and insect bites. The cream reduces inflammation in the skin, which helps to reduce symptoms like redness, itching, and swelling.
Savlon Antiseptic Cream is another trusted product to treat minor wounds and skin reactions. It helps cleanse and protect minor wounds from infection and is a first-aid treatment for superficial burns, scalds, and insect bites. It also helps prevent infection on shaving cuts, blisters, and sores, and can be used to clean and treat minor skin problems.
Savlon Scar Prevention Gel helps soothe the pain of minor wounds and superficial burns, with its hydro-active colloid gel creating optimal healing conditions to support the skin’s healing process. It is safe and effective for use on minor wounds, superficial burns, and grazes. Savlon Antiseptic and Pain Relief Gel is another product in the range. It contains antiseptic to help prevent infection and anaesthetic to help relieve pain, and is suitable for use by adults and children aged 12 and over. To cleanse broken and damaged skin, such as cuts, grazes, and minor wounds, there is Savlon Wound Cleansing wipes. They have no sting and are gentle on skin. They are alcohol-free, sterile, and safe for use around eyes.
ANTISEPTIC
Bepantiseptic First Aid Cream is also available OTC from community pharmacies. It has an antiseptic action to help prevent infections, plus a soothing local anaesthetic to numb pain.
TCP Antiseptic Liquid is another very famous staple of the first aid box. Dual-action TCP soothes pain and fights infection. It can also be used for sore throats, mouth ulcers, cuts, grazes, bites, stings, and spots.
Dettol Antiseptic Disinfectant Liquid is a proven, effective, concentrated antiseptic disinfectant that kills bacteria and provides protection against bacteria which can cause infection and illness. It can be used for gentle antiseptic wound cleansing and disinfection and antiseptic skin cleansing.
There is also A Vogel Atrogel Arnica Gel. A traditional herbal medicinal product, it is used in the symptomatic relief of muscular aches, pains and stiffness, sprains, bruises, and swelling.
Kelo-Cote Scar Gel is another effective product. It is used to treat scars resulting from trauma, surgery, burns, or other events that result in broken skin. Kelo-Cote Gel self-dries to a waterproof, gas permeable membrane that acts like an extra layer of skin. It helps to soften, f latten, and smooth a range of scar types, while maintaining the moisture balance and elasticity of the adjacent skin. It has also been shown to reduce the discolouration and itching associated with scars.
Appropriate and effective bandages are also a v ital part of wound care and wound management. Fortunately, as well antiseptic products, there is also a range of effective OTC wound dressings available.
Elastoplast is one of the most famous brands. Its wound spray is easy to use for the antiseptic cleansing of minor acute wounds such as cuts, abrasions, f irst- and minor second-degree burns, and open blisters.
It can also be used for chronic wounds and postoperative wound care as per a doctor’s instructions. The Elastoplast Wound Spray also helps to remove crusts or clotted dressings. It is free of alcohol and does not dry the skin or cause stinging during application. Elastoplast Wound Spray is a pain-free and effective way to cleanse wounds from dirt and bacteria and prevent wound infections. It is skin-friendly and suitable for children.
Appropriate And Effective Bandages Are Also A Vital Part Of Wound Care And Wound Management
Another product, Elastoplast Fabric plasters, are suitable for covering all types of smaller wounds. They stretch with the skin’s movements and its non-stick woundpad protects and cushions the wound, while the strong adhesion ensures that the plaster stays in place. They also block 99 per cent of dirt and bacteria.
WOUND CLOSURE
Another trusted product from Fleming Medical is Medistrip Wound Closure Strips. They are flexible, breathable, and are used for wound support post-operatively, skin tears, or following early suture or clip removal. The strips stay firmly in place, allowing the skin to breathe and the wound to heal.
Medicare Fabric Plasters are a comfortable and convenient way to keep wounds clean, ventilated, and protected. The long-lasting adhesive used on Medicare Plasters is hypoallergenic, kind to skin, comfortable, and won’t irritate the skin. They have a strong adhesion and will protect the wound from contamination and infection while allowing it to breathe and heal quickly. The non-stick, extra absorbent, non-adherent pad ensures that the adhesive doesn’t stick to the wound, causing irritation.
Mediflex Bordered Silicone Dressing is also suitable for use on a wide variety of moderate- to highly-exuding wounds, ulcers, second-degree burns, and traumatic wounds. The dressing is air-permeable, making it a comfortable way to keep wounds clean and protected. Finally, also from Medicare, there is Medicare Burn Gel Spray which offers instant relief from burns.
