{"id":141,"date":"2013-09-03T12:43:33","date_gmt":"2013-09-03T16:43:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.silverrushstyle.com\/blog\/?p=141"},"modified":"2017-09-14T13:05:34","modified_gmt":"2017-09-14T17:05:34","slug":"why-do-wound-care-products-and-medications-contain-silver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silverrushstyle.com\/blog\/why-do-wound-care-products-and-medications-contain-silver\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Wound Care Products And Medications Contain Silver?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It might seem like a strange concept, but the properties of silver mineral can be used in wound care products for skin treatments. Used for centuries already for treating wounds with its antibacterial properties to ensure no further infections, surgeons began to use silver sutures during the 19th century in order to make incisions during surgeries. Since then, the use of silver in treating medical wounds has been used in other methods from bandages, ointments, to eye drops.<\/p>\n

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Silver Care Products for Wounds and Operation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Found in foil sheets to cover wounds and as an antiseptic to specifically help treat burn wounds might seem like a strange concept since we use to earring silver in the form of jewelry. So just how exactly does silver help treat our skin? Although foil with silver was used during operation to help avoid infections and since the 1960s a product called silver sulfadiazine has been used to help treat burn wounds.<\/p>\n

Such products contain the silver mineral because of the spectrum antimicrobial properties that can be used to treat against forms of bacteria in dressing bandages. By using silver in modern bandages, the healing process<\/a> can be further progressed by promoting the healing of the wound and killing infectious bacteria by doing the following:<\/p>\n

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  1. It can decrease the activity of the matrix metalloproteinase<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Helps to block the respiratory cycle of bacterial wall membrane<\/li>\n
  3. Helps to decrease the need for excessive white cells<\/li>\n
  4. Regulates inflammation<\/li>\n
  5. Increase calcium levels<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Not only does silver help with extreme wounds such as burned skin with topical dressings and bandages, but it can help heal minor wounds as well including wounds such as ulcers. The silver ions found in dressings and bandages creates a reaction that causes the bacteria\u2019s physical structure to fall apart which helps to prevent bacterial growth and speed up the healing process. However, if a patient does have a metal allergy, consider other alternatives for helping to heal such wounds.<\/p>\n

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    Combating Internal Infections<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Unless you are allergic to silver, medical instruments and medications pose little threat to the health of you as a patient. Internal instruments such as urinary catheters and endotracheal breathing tubes are coated with a small bit of silver to help reduce the chance of any internal infection such as a urinary tract infection or pneumonia from the ventilator from occurring in a patient.<\/p>\n

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    The Uses of Silver Sulfadiazine to Heal Infections<\/strong><\/p>\n

    More specifically, silver sulfadiazine<\/a> is a type of antibiotic drug that not only helps to heal severe burn wounds, but also helps stop bacteria from growing that could cause an infection in the skin tissue and blood (sepsis). When you apply it, be sure to wear sterile, disposable gloves so that the cream does not come into contact with anything else except for the burned skin. The burn wound should be thickly covered (over an inch) and always be covering the skin. Silver sulfadiazine is available as a cream and with the following brand names:<\/p>\n