Do Wounds Heal Faster Covered Or Uncovered?

The notion that leaving a wound exposed to air helps with faster healing is a misconception. Except for minor cuts, bruises, or scrapes, it’s always best to cover your wounds. In 1962, researcher George Winters once and for all quashed the debate about whether to cover the wounds or leave them open. He compared wound healing in dry and moist environments and found the latter to be much better. The paper he published in Nature notes that “It has been found that epithelization is retarded by the dry scab which normally covers a superficial wound, and if the formation of the scab is prevented, the rate of epithelization is markedly increased.” Further research has shown that a moist environment also accelerates the building of new blood vessels in the injured area (angiogenesis), in addition to old and damaged tissues being broken down and cleaned away, making way for new cells. Covering a wound also significantly reduces the chances of infection, as it keeps germs, dirt, and (potentially unclean) water from coming in contact with the injury.