Seaweed dressings

[heatherevans28]

Hello everyone,

Due to long term steroid usage and severe lupus, my skin takes a long time to heal, but cuts and bruises very easily. The length of time these take to heal means that I get frequent infections.

I have been looking into the use of seaweed dressings to aid healing and prevent infection. Has anyone used them? If so, where did you get them and what was your experience?

Thank you xx

[linda49]

I don't have lupus, but do Have PMR and take long term steroids. I have a dear friend who has lupus and I joined this site to try and understand more about lupus and its effects. Like you, I bruise very easily. I recently had a nasty car accident and I was in hospital for 3 weeks. They treated the deep lacerations on my arm with a seaweed dressing called Kaltostat which was used to dry up the exudation( is that the right word?) the messy stuff, which it did very successfully. It was changed every third day and had waterproof dressing over the top of it. It was all supplied by the hospital. I had never heard of seaweed dressings before this. Once home, my arm was dressed at the surgery with iodine dressings and has now healed.. It took about 8 weeks in all to heal I didn't experience any additional infection whilst having this seaweed treatment

I've since had DVT and a pulmonary embolism and have to take Anticoagulation medicine which means I will bleed more easily and profusely.

I hope this helps

Linda

[heatherevans28 in reply to linda49]

Oh that's very interesting, thank you. I came across it in New Zealand as my aunt had them put on after surgery to reduce her scars after a mostectomy and it healed really well. They also use thin sheets of silver mesh under dressings to fight infection. I managed to get some silver and it worked wonders but interested in sourcing seaweed dressings. NHS seem to use them for severe wounds but NICE recommends them even for lighter open wounds. I will look up the name you mention, thank you xx

[Barnclown]

Very interesting post & discussion! That these sort of treatments are being used by establishment medics as part of conventional therapy is wonderful...am thinking also of the honey ulcer treatments, of the way leeches are used etc. Thank you to you both! 🍀🍀🍀 coco

[linda49]

Yes Barnclown you reminded me about the honey treatment. My grandson has eczema which flares badly from time to time. He had such an episode occur at a time when he was scheduled to attend a kayaking course in the school holidays. His skin had to be intact due to the risk of contracting Lymes disease in lake water. His parents bought medical grade Manuka honey cream and within days his skin was healed and he was able to,take part in the kayaking course. One happy young man!!

Pity that more such treatments aren't generall available on the NHS.

Best wishes

Linda

[pixiewixie]

Hello heatherevans28. Yes, I have. I Have Sjogrens and had a very nasty tooth/facial abscess. After the extraction of the misbehaved wisdom tooth my dentist used seaweed dressings in the mouth sinus to promote healing. It helped the pain and cooled down the area. It definitely helped! The silver your friend speaks of I have used on an abdominal sinus and found I was very allergic to it! However I know it has been used very successfully used to promote healing in others. I too am the slowest of healers ... with me nutritional issues can sometimes slow down healing. Actually I was in hospital and had my own side room & nurses ... I thought Wow! Though all was not as it seemed. Stupidly I assumed that I was being protected from all the "" until I was very clearly enlightened that it was Moi, yes ME that the "others" were in fact being protected from!! Oh well, Swings & Roundabouts & a bruised ego is a part & parcel of Life!

You take good care of yourself , try your dressings & remember that sterile honey dressings are really good as well. All my best wishes to you Pixiewixie xx