Pressure Garments For Burns

Suffering from a burn is never pleasant and recovery can be long and painful.

Recovery is also characterized by scarring and sometimes infection. Happily, there are a few things that you can do to speed up recovery and alleviate discomfort!

Using a pressure garment for a burn is probably the most effective way of doing this.

How do pressure garments work for Burns?

If you have suffered from a burn, your skin has taken a beating and the epidermis (outer layer) as well as the dermis (inner layers) will have been destroyed.

This leaves your skin vulnerable to infection and pain but wearing a pressure garment will help in stimulating healing in the skin and will provide pressure on the tissue and any scars.

Pressure garments also help to decrease the formation of scarring and any irregular healing in the skin.

Why do burn patients wear pressure garments?

Burn patients who are able to withstand the shearing that results from the pressure garment’s fabric against the skin, are able to benefit from the pressure provided.

The compression from a pressure garment helps to reduce the chances of scar development because it interferes with normal collagen production which helps to reform the collagen fibers in the skin.

This is a huge benefit for burn patients.

In addition, pressure garments help to reduce any itching, pain and discomfort, prevent calluses, protect the fragile, healing skin, promote blood circulation in burned tissue and increase the length of the skin by placing pressure on the contracture bands.

There are a few types of compression garments available and the most common are:

• Tubular pressure bandages which work to provide gentle and constant pressure

• Elastic wrap bandages which provide pressure to the extremities (arms and legs

• Interim care garments are usually not doctor-prescribed and help provide pressure until a prescription pressure garment is obtained.

• Custom-made garments consist of a nylon spandex material and are tailor-made according to the patient’s exact measurements.

A compression garment is usually worn every day, all day (and can be taken off when showering and applying creams or ointments).

The period of time for which they need to be worn will depend on your doctor’s recommendations, but a general rule of thumb is anything from 8 months to 2 years, depending on the severity of the burn injury.

Wearing a compression garment can be of great benefit after a burn and many people have discovered the advantages.

Here’s What To Do Now

At Caring Touch Medical we carry a complete line of pressure garments for burns.

We are here to help you make sure you get exactly what you need to heal as quickly as possible.

Click here to find our location that is closest to you. Contact us today.