by the WoundSource Editors
Moist wound healing is the practice of keeping a wound in an optimally moist environment in order to promote faster healing. Research has shown that moist wound healing is three to five times quicker than the healing of wounds that are allowed to dry out.
British researcher George D. Winter described the benefits of moist wound healing in the 1960s. His research demonstrated that moist environments optimize healing of wounds. In the 1970s and 80s, moist wound healing became a standard practice. During the late 1980s and 90s, the field of moist wound dressings was thoroughly researched and many new wound dressing products were developed such as hydrogels, foams and alginates. Increasingly, wound dressings began to be seen as not just protective measures, but active parts of the healing process.