Commonly asked questions regarding dressing selection for minor burn injuries include…
Q. Can surgical tapes such as Hypafix, Primapore or Mefix be used on burns as a dressing?
A. Surgical tapes were designed to secure dressings, they were not designed as primary dressings to be used directly onto wounds. With no evidence available, but with our experience with surgical tapes, we do not recommend using them as primary dressings, especially with so many dressing options available. Surgical tapes do not provide a moist wound healing environment, they can disguise a deeper burn or infection and delay management, they can place tension on the skin especially over joints, and new epidermis can be inadvertently damaged when the tape is removed.
Q. Should I use a silver dressing?
Not necessarily. There is insufficient evidence to decide whether silver-based products improve outcomes for minor burns treated in emergency settings. (24) Furthermore other research has raised concern regarding the effects on wound healing with in-vitro studies demonstrating silver to be toxic to keratinocytes and fibroblasts. we recoomend using silver dressings if:
- Contaminated burns
- Clinically infected burns
- Deep or full thickness burns
- Burns of mixed or unknown depth
- Minor burns with larger surface areas