Xeroform Dressing Substitutes: Evidence-Based Alternatives
What is a substitute for Xeroform dressing?
The Quick Answer
**Petrolatum-impregnated gauze without bismuth** serves as an effective Xeroform substitute for moisture maintenance and non-adherence. For antimicrobial needs, consider **silver-impregnated dressings** (Acticoat) or **medical-grade honey dressings** (Medihoney). Homemade petrolatum gauze (sterile gauze saturated with USP petrolatum) provides a low-cost alternative validated in burn care research.
Why We Ask This
Patients face access barriers when Xeroform is unavailable locally or cost-prohibitive, leading to dangerous substitutions like dry gauze that adheres to wounds—causing trauma during removal that reopens healing tissue and introduces bacteria.
The Practical Science
Substitute selection follows wound requirements: moisture maintenance (petrolatum gauze), antimicrobial action (silver/honey), or debridement support (hydrogels). NIH studies confirm handmade petrolatum gauze performs equivalently to Xeroform for partial-thickness burns when properly saturated (30–40% petrolatum by weight).
In Clinical Practice
A rural clinic without Xeroform access prepares substitute dressing by saturating sterile 4×4 gauze with medical-grade petrolatum until translucent, then applying directly to a partial-thickness burn—maintaining moist healing environment while preventing adherence trauma during daily changes.
References & Context
An Inexpensive Bismuth-Petrolatum Dressing for Treatment of Burns - NIH"Handmade petrolatum gauze may be a low-cost replacement for Xeroform."