It’s less about no microbes than starting with a reasonable amount. As long as the wound is cleaned of debris and large amounts of dead tissue, one’s immune system will typically be able to prevent bacterial overgrowth or handle a small amount of pathogenic bacteria. I make the distinction in the hope that people don’t go overboard with disinfection. You just need good enough.
I had a sizable wound treated with a hydrocolloid bandage. They’re sealed to form a moist environment by retaining exudate and are changed every 5-7 days. No antibiotics are used. It should have been a festering mess according to previous wisdom, but it was fine the entire time.
It’s less about no microbes than starting with a reasonable amount. As long as the wound is cleaned of debris and large amounts of dead tissue, one’s immune system will typically be able to prevent bacterial overgrowth or handle a small amount of pathogenic bacteria. I make the distinction in the hope that people don’t go overboard with disinfection. You just need good enough.
I had a sizable wound treated with a hydrocolloid bandage. They’re sealed to form a moist environment by retaining exudate and are changed every 5-7 days. No antibiotics are used. It should have been a festering mess according to previous wisdom, but it was fine the entire time.