Wet-to-dry dressings

Debridement can be accomplished by surgical or mechanical means (wet-to-dry dressing changes). Other effective therapies are hydrotherapy, wound irrigation, and dextranomers. Pressure sores should be cleaned with normal saline. 

Surface energy of the dried or cured barrier would preferably be greater than water (e.g., lipohilic oil) to repel wetting, and therefore, repulsion of bacteria which is hydrophilic, but the wet dressing must be adherent to the soft hydrophilic tissue... 

Cool wet dressings or total body wraps placed directly onto the skin can be effective in relieving itching, particularly at night. Wet wraps used in conjunction with topical corticosteroids can be used for acute flares or chronic, lichenified lesions." " Skin maceration, fissures, and subsequent infections can occur, and thus these occlusive dressings should be limited to severe, chronic lesions. Tepid compresses applied to skin for 20 minutes four to six times daily can aid in drying out the oozing lesions. 

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