Occlusion versus air exposure on full-thickness biopsy wounds

The benefits of moisture-retaining dressings on wound healing are well documented in experimental animal models but not in humans. To examine the effect of occlusion, the effects of three brands of synthetic occlusive dressings (Comfeel Plus, DuoDerm CGF, OpSite) were compared with air exposure in epithelial resurfacing and proliferation in acute, full-thickness skin wounds in humans. In 10 healthy males, four 4 mm standardised wounds were made with a sterile punch biopsy on each lower extremity. Epithelialisation of the wounds was assessed histologically and blindly postwounding on days 7 and 14. Wound margin epidermal proliferation was evaluated immunohistochemically with Ki67. Epithelial percentage coverage increased significantly (p = 0.007) with the occlusive dressings (62 +/- 6%, mean +/- SEM), compared with air exposure, (39 +/- 7%) on day 7 but not on day 14 (p = 0.500). Epidermal cell proliferation showed no significant intergroup difference on either day. Treatment with occlusive dressings increased early epithelial migration of acute full-thickness biopsy wounds compared with air exposure in healthy men.