Vaseline gauze

Vaseline gauze

Paraffin gauze is one of the simplest dressings for a burn. Paraffin gauze is covered in a soft tacky substance a bit like petroleum jelly (brand name Vaseline). Brand names include Jelonet.

Many doctors and nurses use paraffin gauze. They cover the dressing with cotton wool and a stretchy bandage.[1] Although it's a common treatment, there is very little research comparing paraffin gauze with other types of dressings.

We found one small study (a randomised controlled trial) that compared paraffin gauze dressings with clear film dressings. Researchers didn't find much difference between the treatments in how long the burns took to heal and how much pain the burns caused. Burns covered with paraffin gauze healed in seven days on average.[2]

You need to be careful when you use dressings that contain paraffin, as these can catch fire easily.[3] Don’t smoke or use a naked flame when using these type of dressings. And change your clothes and bedding regularly as the paraffin can seep into these fabrics.

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