26 Jan Frequently Asked Questions About Wound Care

Post-surgical and chronic wound care can be an overwhelming process for patients and their loved ones. When wound care takes place at home, it must be done right, or there are significant risks of complications and rehospitalization. It takes some knowledge to properly manage a wound, from understanding the type of wound to how to care for it to what might go wrong. 

If you’re looking for some information and guidance, we can help. Here are some of the most common questions we get about wound management and their answers. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about wound care

1. How do patients know if they have a wound that isn’t healing properly?

While slight redness and swelling around the wound are normal at the start of the healing cycle, this should subside quickly. If there is still swelling or redness after several days, or it worsens over time, the wound probably isn’t healing properly. 

2. What causes a wound to not heal properly?

The most common issue that causes a wound not to heal properly is infection. When a wound becomes contaminated or infected, the body’s immune system must fight the bacteria instead of focusing on healing. Bacteria can also kill cells that stop or delay healing. 

3. Is it better to leave a wound open to the air?

Wounds should remain properly covered because air dries out a wound and promotes cell death instead of healing. Covering the wound maintains the proper moisture that keeps healthy cells alive and focused on healing. FritzFinn’s SMARTKITS includes collagen dressings, which maintain wound moisture, promote healing, and reduce inflammation and scarring. 

4. Do diabetic wounds heal more slowly? Why?

Wounds tend to heal more slowly in people with diabetes because the body is unable to produce insulin, which is the hormone that transforms glucose into energy, and the immune system is less effective. 

5. What’s the difference between a post-surgical wound and a chronic wound?

A post-surgical wound is simply a wound acquired during a surgical procedure. A chronic wound is one that fails to progress through a timely, orderly, and normal sequence of healing. 

6. Why do chronic wounds fail to heal?

Several factors can impact wound healing, such as infection, immunosuppression, ischemia, and metabolic conditions. Not taking proper care of a chronic wound can aggravate the issue. 

7. What are the different types of dressings, and which one is best?

There are multiple types of dressings. The best one will depend on your type of wound and what the doctor recommends. Two common types, which are included in SMARTKITS, are gauze and collagen dressings. These can be customized to suit the type and size of the wound to produce the best results. 

8. What happens if I forget to change my dressing?

Probably nothing if you forget just once. But leaving wound dressings on too long can slow the healing process and encourage infection. The best strategy is to use a daily wound care solution like SMARTKITS, which is an all-in-one package that contains everything you need, including instructions. 

Learn more about using SMARTKITS from FritzFinn for wound care

To get the best results from at-home wound care, the process needs to be simple, convenient, and personalized. Fortunately, SMARTKITS from FritzFinn checks all those boxes. 

SMARTKITS are delivered directly to the patient’s doorstep and contain everything necessary for a single wound dressing. Contact us today to learn more about using SMARTKITS as an effective and convenient wound care solution.