Which statement indicates understanding of the disadvantages of using dry applications for wound therapy?

• A. It increases body fluid loss.
• B. It causes maceration of the skin.
• C. It causes increased drying of the skin.
• D. It does not penetrate deep into tissues.

Answer: (C)

Dry applications pull moisture away from the wound and surrounding skin, so the main drawback is increased drying of the skin. This desiccation can desiccate the wound bed, cause periwound cracking and irritation, and slow healing by limiting cell activity and autolytic processes. Maceration comes from too much moisture, not dryness, so that option isn’t the primary issue here. Dry dressings aren’t best described by incompletely penetrating tissues; the key problem is the excessive drying they cause.