Week: 555.4 Guest: Dr. Alfred Lane, Prof. of Dermatology, Stanford Univ. Med. School Topic: Baby study shows proper way to treat cuts/abrasions Producer/Host: Steve Girard
NEMA: Reversing an age old practice....coming up...
SPOT: 15 years in the prevention of heart disease, stroke and trauma - the National Emergency Medicine Association. Call 800-332-6362.
NEMA: We thought taking care of our skin and preventing infection after getting a scrape, cut or burn meant leaving on the scab...letting it dry up. Well, Dr.Alfred Lane of Stanford University Medical School says the opposite is true...after a study involving babies...
LANE: Neonatologists have done such a good job in helping really small babies to survive and do well, that now they have problems with their skin because it is so immature.So, we were involved in trying to find a more effective way to help their skin.
NEMA: And aquafor was what you used...?
LANE: Aquafor is a lubricant...and it was very effective in decreasing the irritation, and made the skin look good....but it also decreased the risk of infection.
NEMA: So, lubrication is better than having it scab up...?
LANE: You really don't want to have a scab...that crust sometimes helps keep the wound apart, and open...so we really recommend keeping the wound lubricated...if you take a blister, let's say, and put aquafor on it, it turns out it will heal about 50% faster just by keeping it greasy, rather than letting it dry out.
NEMA: And it also means less chance of scarring. I'm Steve Girard for the Heart of the Matter.
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