Epidermolysis bullosa is a rare, genetic skin disease which affects around 500,000 people worldwide. Young patients are often called ‘butterfly children’ because their skin seems as fragile as butterfly wings. As there is no curative treatment currently, this painful and debilitating condition requires specific daily treatment. What is epidermolysis bullosa? In patients with epidermolysis bullosa, …
Pressure ulcers are common in people confined to bed for long periods, or immobilised due to a disease or accident. They are wounds which require frequent care, which can take several months to heal and which mainly affect elderly patients. What is a pressure ulcer? A pressure ulcer is a chronic wound which appears when sitting …
Of all wounds, the surgical wound (or operating wound) is probably the most distinct. Unlike other wounds, surgical wounds are caused by an intentional medical procedure used to treat an existing health issue. The related precautions and care should guarantee optimal healing. What is a surgical wound? A surgical wound is classified according to two …
Burns are a common injury. In the UK, an estimated 250,000 people receive burn injuries each year 1. Around 90% of burn injuries in the UK are non-complex wounds 2. This type of accident is most often domestic, usually occurring in the kitchen or the garden. In almost half of cases, burns are caused by …
Leg ulcers are skin lesions arising from bad blood circulation into the veins and/or the arteries. They affect 1 in 100 1 people, mainly women, and up to 3% of the over 65s 2. These ulcers can take a long time to heal and need to be taken seriously as soon as they appear in order to prevent …
What are the first recommendations to follow for a chronic wound? Dr Nabila Benahmed: The first thing to do is to see a doctor so they can make an accurate diagnosis and decide on the appropriate treatment. To take care of your wound it is also essential to have a healthy lifestyle, to stop smoking …
Diabetic foot ulcers are one of the major complications of diabetes. Between 19-34% of all diabetic patients will develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives 1. Often underestimated, or even unrecognised by patients, a diabetic foot ulcer can lead to complications such as infection, or in the worst cases, amputation. After amputation, …
Acute wounds and chronic wounds have different healing times. Acute wounds (burns, cuts, scratches etc.) heal faster (in around 2 to 4 weeks) than chronic wounds, which often average a healing time of 210 days1. However, chronic wounds are usually related to an underlying disease such as diabetes, or venous or arterial insufficiency, which have …
Several factors can cause a wound, compromise its healing, or even cause an acute wound to become a chronic wound, with all the risks of complications that brings. Below are some of the risk factors usually present: Disease-related risk factors Venous insufficiency: Prevents the blood from reaching the upper body (moving towards the heart). It …
There are two categories of wounds: Acute wounds They can be described as wounds that appear suddenly; such as burns and post-operative wounds related to surgery, or traumatic wounds, which can look like cuts, lacerations, bites, scratches, or can result from extreme weather conditions, as in the case of frostbite. For these acute wounds, the physiological healing …