What is Hydrofera Blue?
Hydrofera Blue is a product which is made of a polyvinyl alcohol sponge impregnated with Methylene Blue and Gentian Violet, substances which have been in use for over 50 years and are proven to provide broad-spectrum bacteriostatic protection.
What types of wounds can Hydrofera Blue be used on?
Hydrofera Blue is highly absorptive and is effective against numerous bacteria, including MRSA and VRE. It can be used on a variety of wounds, including:
Pressure ulcers
Venous stasis ulcers
Radiation burns*
Orthopedic wounds
Arterial ulcers
Donor sites
Lacerations/abrasions
Post-op incisions
*Hydrofera Blue is not indicated for the treatment of third-degree burns.
Advantages of Hydrofera Blue
Hydrofera Blue dressings are highly absorptive and can be used on wounds which are draining heavily. They are also very durable and can be compressed to 1/10th their normal size. They are quite soft and unlikely to damage or irritate healthy tissue. Hydrofera Blue is biocompatible and is highly resistant to chemicals.
How to use Hydrofera Blue dressings
The dressing should be wet with sterile normal saline or sterile water. Squeeze the dressing and leave some fluid in for drier wounds; for heavily exudating wounds, squeeze the dressing until it is almost dry. Position the dressing so that it is in contact with the wound. Hydrofera Blue may be used as a packing or as a wound cover, overlapping the edges of the wound by at least 1 inch.
It is important to make sure that the dressing does not completely dry out. The dressing should be changed every one to three days, or when the area of dressing over the wound becomes saturated. Also, if the dressing turns white, this indicates that it has used all its antimicrobial substance, and the dressing should be changed.
Cover Dressings
Because it is so important to ensure that the Hydrofera Blue dressing does not dry out, care should be taken to choose an appropriate cover dressing:
If the wound bed is dry, a cover dressing which prevents the wicking away of moisture should be chosen. Good examples of appropriate cover dressings may include hydrocolloids, adhesive foams, film dressings, or composite dressings.
If the wound bed is draining heavily, a dressing which will absorb this excess moisture should be chosen. ABD pads, foam dressings and composites may be used to serve this purpose. When the outer dressings are soaked, they should be removed, but the Hydrofera Blue dressing may be left in place until it changes color to white, at which time it should be changed.
Hydrofera Blue is a good multi-purpose dressing that can be used to treat a variety of wounds and is effective against a variety of microbes, including VRE and MRSA. The main components, Gentian Violet and Methylene Blue, have been used for many years and have proven to be safe. A major advantage of the dressing is its ability to handle large amounts of exudate, its durability, and its ability to conform to virtually any wound bed size or shape.
If you are interested in learning more about wound care management, or are ready to take the next step in becoming a certified wound care specialist, please contact us for more information. Woundeducators.com is dedicated to bringing you the most current information in wound care available.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I am very impressed with the information that I receive from your website. I deal with wounds frequently while working with the elderly in nursing facilities whether it be in long term care or skilled nursing. This hydrofera Blue has been ordered numerous times but Medicaid will not pay and they made us change the order to something else. This means I have never used this treatment.e
Is there a chance that the hydrofera blue will be cheaper in the future? Thank you, Alice Hervey RN
Hi Alice,
I am glad that you enjoy our articles. I have experienced the same frustration that you describe working with insurance companies. Sometimes a certain product would be perfect for a wound but funding is not available. I do not know if Hydrofera Blue will ever be less expensive. I recommend you contact your local rep and see if you could obtain samples. I have had a great deal of success working with reps in situations like this. To locate your local Hydorfera Blue rep visit: http://www.hydrofera.com/buy2.html.
Thanks for your input.
After doing weeks and weeks of research, my mom being hospitalized for a month, and weekly trips to the wound care center, I decided enough was enough. My mom had pyoderma (sp), and she was in constant mind blowing pain. I bought a box of hydrofera blue, and she finally agreed to let me try it. I kind you not, the wound started to show signs of new tissue forming within 3 days. My mom’s pain had become more tolerable, and we were able to decrease the pain medication.
The wound care center physician could not believe the difference in the wound in just one week. The wound care nurses wanted me to send them the research that I had done in finding this miracle (in my opinion) foam dressing. Fortunately, the doctor wrote an order to the home health agency who was servicing my mom, and they bought the products until my mom didn’t need it anymore. In just a few weeks, the wound had healed so much that we no longer needed the hydrofera blue.
I thank my God for guiding me to this wound care product.
Leave a Comment