Health Tip: When to Bandage a Wound

(HealthDay News) — Knowing how and when to bandage a wound can help speed healing.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions:

Hands, knees or other areas likely to get dirty or be rubbed by clothing should be bandaged with an adhesive strip or sterile gauze tape.
Change bandage daily to keep wound clean and dry.
Don’t bandage a wound that isn’t likely to get dirty and won’t be rubbed and irritated by clothing.
A wound that can safely be left without a bandage may dry and heal more quickly.
Use a special bandage (occlusive or semi-occlusive) if your doctor suggests it on a wound that covers a large area, to keep it moist and reduce scarring.