Does Exposing Wounds to Air Help Healing?

THE CLAIM

Wounds heal better when exposed to air.

THE FACTS

Most parents and school nurses have a time-honored approach to treating a small wound: Clean it up, stop the bleeding and then let it get some air.

The point of this approach is to lower the odds of infection and to speed the healing process. But over the years, researchers have found that what many people know about treating small cuts and scrapes is wrong.

Exposing a wound to the air so it can breathe is a terrible mistake, experts say, because it creates a dry environment that promotes cell death.

A handful of studies have found that when wounds are kept moist and covered, blood vessels regenerate faster and the number of cells that cause inflammation drop more rapidly than they do in wounds allowed to air out. It is best to keep a wound moist and covered for at least five days.

Another common mistake is applying antibiotic ointments, said Dr. Mark Davis, a professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. These ointments may keep the wound moist, he said, but they also can lead to swelling and an allergic reaction called contact dermatitis. Plain and simple Vaseline, applied twice a day, works fine.

And as awful as removing scabs may sound, it may be a good idea, Davis said. A small initial scab will help stop the bleeding, but if left for too long it will do more harm than good.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Exposing a cut so it can breathe slows healing.