Should You Remove Slough From a Wound? Essential Debridement Guidance
Should I remove slough from a wound?
The Quick Answer
Yes, **slough must be removed** through clinical debridement to enable healing. This non-viable tissue harbors bacteria, prolongs inflammation, and physically blocks new tissue growth. Never attempt removal at home—seek a wound care specialist who can safely perform autolytic, enzymatic, mechanical, or surgical debridement based on wound characteristics.
Why We Ask This
Patients often hesitate to pursue debridement due to fear of pain or misconceptions that 'leaving it alone' allows natural healing, inadvertently allowing wounds to deteriorate into chronic non-healing states.
The Practical Science
Debridement resets the wound healing cascade by eliminating biofilm habitats and exposing viable tissue to growth factors. Evidence shows wounds with >25% slough coverage heal 3× slower without intervention due to sustained protease activity degrading healing proteins.
In Clinical Practice
A clinician might apply a hydrogel dressing to rehydrate dry slough overnight, then gently irrigate with saline the next day to lift loosened tissue—demonstrating how controlled, staged removal minimizes trauma while advancing healing.
References & Context
Think You Know Slough Wounds? - Net Health"Desloughing, or the removal of slough, is a top priority, and debridement, which is the process of removing any non-viable, is the way it's done. There are a variety of debridement methods practitioners can implement to promote proper wound healing. Those methods include: Autolysis/natural desloughing.Nov 10, 2025"