Wound Care

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Pharmacist Recommended Wound Care

A wound is an injury to the skin that can be caused by trauma, burns, or other injuries. This traumatic event causes a break in one of your body’s protective layers which could cause infection, pain, and long-term effects such as arthritis if not properly cared for. Wound healing is important because it not only helps with the local repair but also has a beneficial effect on systemic physiological processes like our immune system (which we need to be healthy so we don’t get sick).

If someone suffers from chronic wounds they are susceptible to various organs being affected leading up to death. The most commonly injured tissue would have been their skin and its proper recovery allows them reestablishing its barrier function – this leads back into the prevention of possible infections later down the line due partly in part

Fort Worth Pharmacy can formulate compound medications to treat your specific type of wound. We customize medications for each individual and are known as experts at formulating personalized medication combinations.

To customize your individual wound medicinal needs we use your doctor’s prescription to formulate compound medication to contain the proper combination of active ingredients, with an appropriate base, to treat your specific type of wound.

For example, the choice of cream, ointment, or gel can be clinically significant. Creams and gels may not provide a barrier that is as protective to new tissue growth like an ointment does. However, creams are easier to apply than ointments and many wound dressings contain both ingredients in order for healing time-frame differences. A polyox bandage is great because it has less potential for disruption of new tissue growth due to its water-soluble properties; even if there’s exudate present puffed onto the wound surface before adhering on top when needed most making this dosage form really worth looking into.

Compounded medication is particularly effective with wound care.

Wound Therapies

The ultimate goal of wound care therapies is to prevent infections, promote healing, reduce the risks of complications and minimize scarring. Pharmacists play a pivotal role in wound care because they are often the initial touchpoint of an individual’s healthcare interactions who need assistance.

They can be a useful source to get information and guidance about nonprescription wound care formulations. Generally, the wounds that you can treat with pharmacists’ assistance include minor scrapes, cuts, insect bites, and scratches. However, prior to giving treatment, the pharmacists need to determine whether it is appropriate to give self-treatment to the wounded individual or not.

Currently, there are many OTC (over-the-counter) wound care medications available in the market for treating minor cuts, burns, and wounds. These include topical antibiotics, antiseptics, bandages and tapes, and products that help in reducing scars appearance. Due to their knowledge and experience, pharmacists can guide you in the selection of the right wound care products, gauge, and direct self-care, and help you when you need medical care to speed up the healing process.

In general, the following steps are involved in wound care:

  • Thorough cleaning of the affected area
  • Application of topical antibiotic
  • Covering the wound with a sterilized bandage
  • Changing bandage as recommended

Types of Pharmacists Recommended Wound Care

Pharmacists usually recommend the following wound care medicines to treat the wounds.

Nonprescription Antibiotics

To prevent infections or inflammation in minor wounds, a pharmacist may recommend topical nonprescription antibiotics. These wound care medications, when applied to the skin, help to reduce the chances of developing and spreading infection. Some common wound care medications include the following:

  • Polymyxin B
  • Thermazene
  • Santyl
  • Neomycin
  • Neosporin ointment
  • Bacitracin
  • Silvadene
  • and others

Antiseptic Products for First Aid

Several antiseptic products are available over the counter, which pharmacists can recommend based on the condition of your wound. However, remember to use these products only on intact skin to avoid other related issues.

  • Iodine topical solution USP
  • Hydrogen peroxide topical solution
  • Ethyl alcohol
  • Camphorated phenol
  • Iodine Tincture USP
  • and many others

Wound Odor Solutions

Odor is one of many problems faced by those suffering from skin surface wounds. Cutaneous wounds, ulcerated tumors, and fungating tumors can cause great distress for the patients as well as their loved ones. Patients suffering from medical conditions that produce wound odors often require long and close medical management and advanced treatment.

The best way that this medication helps is through its ability to combat odors, which greatly improves patients’ quality of life. The mismanaged stench can be embarrassing or disheartening in social settings where an individual may not have other forms of support available such as friends/family members nearby.

Topical metronidazole has been a godsend to these patients who suffer from foul odor due to malignant cutaneous wounds or oozing lesions.

Skin Irritation

For those suffering from frequent or severe skin irritation, it is important to know how you can treat your specific medicinal needs. This applies especially to infants and seniors with sensitive skin conditions.

Many people with sensitive skin can find relief through topical treatments, such as using a gel. There are different topical preparations containing cholestyramine or sucralfate that may be helpful in treating various dermatologic and mucosal problems, such as oral ulcers, peristomal excoriation, decubitus ulcers, radiation therapy rectal and vaginal ulcerations as well as second-degree burns.

Skin Condition Resources

Various skin conditions and disorders impact a large number of the global population. If you are suffering from a severe skin condition, you may feel that it’s extremely difficult to manage, especially when it’s clearly visible or affects the skin on your face. You may think that the only solution is to visit a dermatologist, but before you schedule your visit with a skin specialist, it is better to consult with a pharmacist. It can save you time and money and also help control and minimize the risk.

As pharmacists are certified and registered healthcare professionals, they can examine your skin condition and give recommendations for over-the-counter medications. These drugs can treat minor skin conditions like acne, eczema, fungal infections, dermatitis, and warts, and verrucas.

Additionally, there are many resources available that can help you with the management of your skin condition. Some of the popular skin condition medications include the following:

  • Lupus Foundation of America
  • The American Academy of Dermatology
  • The National Psoriasis Foundation
  • The National Rosacea Foundation
  • The Sturge-Weber Foundation

You can explore these skin resources to get more information about the management and treatment of skin diseases and conditions.

Compounding Medication Options

Our compounding pharmacist can custom mix your wound care medicines to the exact prescription needs of your health care prescriber. A custom formulation of your prescription can reduce the number of pills or creams you must apply daily or they can leave out any inactive ingredients that trigger reactions. When a patient has known allergies to inert and active ingredients, our compounding pharmacist creates topical wound medicines that are safe and effective plus free of allergens.

Topical compounded medicines help with drug interaction issues. Painkillers and antibiotics interfere with the actions of some prescription medications that people take for serious health problems. The topical creams, ointments, gels, and powders are administered at the site of wounds and can be made with medicines that don’t disrupt other necessary pharmaceutical agents in a patient’s system.

Get Back to Living Life Again

Our pharmacy team works closely with patients and their health care providers to come up with the best solutions for wound care challenges. We customize the right solution that is tailored just for you, using appropriate dosage forms such as creams, ointments, gels, pastes topicals sprays, or powders.

If you have a wound that won’t heal, contact a member of our highly trained Fort Worth Pharmacy staff today to learn more about how custom compounded medications may benefit your unique situation.