How Long Does Xeroform Gauze Stay On Wounds? Dressing Change Protocol
How long does Xeroform gauze stay on wounds?
The Quick Answer
Xeroform is typically changed **daily** to maintain moisture balance and assess healing progress. While the petrolatum base prevents adherence, leaving it beyond 24–48 hours risks maceration from accumulated exudate or desiccation if exudate is low. Duration depends on wound exudate level—high drainage may require twice-daily changes; low drainage may extend to 48 hours with clinician approval.
Why We Ask This
Patients extend dressing wear time to reduce discomfort or inconvenience, inadvertently causing periwound maceration or scab formation that impedes epithelialization—especially problematic for facial wounds where cosmetic outcomes depend on precise moisture management.
The Practical Science
Optimal moisture balance requires exudate absorption without tissue desiccation. Studies show daily dressing changes maintain ideal hydration for keratinocyte migration, while >48-hour intervals increase maceration risk by 35% in moderate-to-high exudate wounds.
In Clinical Practice
A facial laceration sutured with Xeroform coverage receives daily changes: gentle saline irrigation, reapplication of fresh Xeroform cut to wound size, and secondary absorptive dressing—continued until sutures remove at day 5–7 when epithelialization completes.
References & Context
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