Why does Vaseline help wounds?

Why is a moist wound better?

Petroleum jelly, also called petrolatum, is a moisturizer used in wound care. A scab can protect the tissue underneath, but a wound that dries into a scab takes longer to heal. Keeping a cleaned wound moist and covered helps avoid that scab while the skin repairs itself. Your body still does the rebuilding: new tissue fills the wound, new skin forms over it, and the edges pull inward.1234

Petroleum jelly is an inexpensive option for minor wound care, without the usual ceremony of a skincare launch.1

How do you use Vaseline on a minor wound?

1. 1Wash your hands before caring for the wound.
2. 2Stop any bleeding with pressure from a clean cloth or bandage. If something is embedded in the wound, do not remove it or press directly on it.
3. 3Rinse the small wound with tap or bottled water. Clean the surrounding skin with soap and water, then gently pat dry.
4. 4Apply enough petroleum jelly to cover the wound. Choose a squeeze tube to reduce the chance of transferring germs from a jar.
5. 5Cover the wound with a sterile dressing or adhesive bandage. Keep the dressing clean and dry, and change it whenever necessary.

Clean a minor wound daily. For a skin biopsy wound, daily care usually starts the day after the procedure: gently wash with mild soap and water, rinse, pat dry, apply petroleum jelly and replace the dressing. Continue for as long as your dermatologist instructs, including until they remove any stitches and tell you to stop. After a biopsy, showering is allowed, but avoid swimming or soaking the wound until it heals.13

Do you need an antibiotic ointment too?

For minor wounds cleaned daily, an antibacterial ointment is not necessary. After a skin biopsy, antibiotic ointments carry a greater risk of an allergic reaction than the wound's risk of infection. Wound care does not need an elaborate product lineup, which leaves very little work for the marketing department. An infected wound needs medical assessment rather than another layer of ointment.13

How long does healing take, and will there be a scar?

Most small cuts and grazes start healing within a few days. Most biopsy wounds heal in 7 to 10 days, although lower leg wounds often take longer. Larger or deeper wounds take longer than smaller ones. Moist wound care can limit scarring, but deeper injuries are more likely to leave a scar. Rubbing petroleum jelly into an already formed scar has no proven benefit for preventing or fading it.345

When should you skip Vaseline or get help?

Do not apply petroleum jelly or another ointment over a liquid bandage: ointments weaken the adhesive bond and slow healing. For a major wound, follow your clinician's wound care instructions rather than the minor cut routine.46

Seek urgent care for increasing pain, swelling, pus or fever, a wound that stays dirty after cleaning, or a bite from a person or a wild or stray animal. Get emergency help for bleeding you cannot stop, a very deep or large wound, an embedded object, loss of feeling or trouble moving the injured area. A wound that is slow to heal needs medical attention; diabetes and poor blood flow can delay healing.45