Hydrogel dressing is a modern effective treatment for burns and skin damage
In simple words, how it works, why it is better than ordinary gauze or ointment – and where to buy it in Ukraine
Have you been burned by boiling water, received an abrasion, or are you treating a bed sore on a bedridden relative? The most important thing is to find a solution: how to heal the wound quickly and painlessly. Today, medicine has a modern tool – a hydrogel dressing. Let’s find out what it is and why it is so effective.
What is a hydrogel and where does it come from in medicine?
A hydrogel is a material that resembles a dense jelly and contains up to 90% water. The term “hydrogel” was coined back in 1894, but it was only introduced to medicine in the 1960s and 1970s. Initially, it was used to make contact lenses, and later it was discovered to have ideal properties for wound healing.
In the 1970s, the theory of “wet healing” was born: a wound heals much faster when it does not dry out but remains moist. This scientific idea became the basis for the first hydrogel dressings.
Unlike conventional gauze, which sticks to the wound and dries out the surface, the hydrogel dressing maintains an optimal moist environment – the same one in which skin cells regenerate most quickly.
How does a hydrogel dressing treat a wound?
Imagine: you put a bandage on a burn. What happens next? The bandage performs several functions at the same time:
What the bandage does
How it helps
Moisturizes the wound
The gel gives moisture to a dry wound, creates an environment in which cells divide and heal faster
Cools
Cool sensation reduces pain and relieves inflammation in the first minutes
Does not stick
When removed, it does not injure new skin – the bandage replacement is absolutely painless
Disinfects
Antiseptic or silver in the composition kills bacteria and protects against infection
Softens dead tissue
The gel softens necrotic tissues, and the body exfoliates them without surgery
Protects from the external environment
Blocks dust, dirt and germs from the outside
When to use hydrogel dressings?
Hydrogel dressings are a universal remedy for a wide range of skin injuries:
Condition / type of wound
Estimated healing time
Abrasion, small cut
2-4 days
Superficial burns (boiling water, iron, sun)
5-7 days
Pressure ulcer of the I-II stage
1-3 weeks
Stage III pressure ulcer
3-8 weeks
Trophic ulcer or diabetic foot
4-12 weeks
Also, hydrogel dressings are widely used for wounds from gunshot wounds and burns from phosphorus shells – where simultaneous pain relief and wound protection are important.
Research and testing of a hydrogel dressing and its use in field combat conditions |
How to apply a bandage correctly?
- Wash your hands and wear clean gloves.
- Clean the wound with an antiseptic - but without alcohol, as it dries out the tissue.
- Apply the bandage so that the edges extend 1-2 centimeters beyond the wound.
- Securely fix it with a clean cloth or bandage.
- Change it daily; optimally, every 6-8 hours.
- Important to know
Do not use the hydrogel dressing on clinically infected wounds without first treating the infection. In this case, consult your doctor first.
Ukrainian hydrogel dressings: from laboratory to pharmacy
Until 2015, only expensive imported bandages were available in Ukraine. The situation has changed thanks to domestic science.
🇺🇦 Made in Ukraine
In 2016, the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine developed the first radiation-cross-linked hydrogel bandages called Hydrobint. In 2024, the Kyiv-based company V-Cube launched mass production.
This means that quality treatment is now available to every family – not just those who can afford expensive imported drugs.
The future of hydrogel dressings
Scientists around the world are already working on a new generation of “smart” hydrogels:
Drug release only when pH rises - signs of infection
Change of properties depending on the patient's body temperature
3D printing of bandages exactly to the shape of a particular wound
Silver to fight resistant bacteria without antibiotics
Hydrogel dressing - simple, effective and affordable
The faster you apply a hydrogel dressing to a burn or wound, the faster it will heal. This is the modern standard of wound care around the world, and now it is available to everyone in Ukraine.
