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Professional wound care helps protect damaged tissue, reduce the risk of complications and create suitable conditions for healing. Depending on the type of wound, care may include cleaning and assessing the area, selecting an appropriate dressing, monitoring healing, checking for infection and arranging further treatment when necessary. Hout Bay Family Medical Centre provides wound assessment, ongoing wound care and dressing changes at our community-focused GP practice in Hout Bay, Cape Town. Wound care forms part of the practice’s minor surgical and in-room procedure services, with additional support available for patients requiring ongoing chronic wound management.
Wound care is the medical assessment and management of an injury or area of damaged skin. Its purpose is to support healing, protect the wound from contamination, manage fluid or drainage and identify problems that could delay recovery.
The correct approach depends on factors such as:
Not every wound requires the same treatment or dressing. The most appropriate care plan can change as the wound progresses through different stages of healing.
Patients may require professional wound assessment and dressing changes for:
Some minor cuts and grazes can be managed safely at home, but professional treatment may be required when a wound is deep, contaminated, difficult to clean, slow to heal or showing possible signs of infection.
During your appointment, a doctor or healthcare professional will examine the wound and ask how and when it occurred. The assessment may consider:
Your general health is also important. Please tell the healthcare professional if you have diabetes, circulation problems, a weakened immune system, difficulty healing, allergies to dressings or adhesive products, or a history of recurring wound infections.
The practice may recommend cleaning, dressing, wound closure, medication, further testing or referral, depending on the findings.
A dressing change involves carefully removing the existing dressing, assessing and cleaning the wound where appropriate, and applying a suitable new dressing.
A dressing may help:
Different dressings are designed for different wounds. The appropriate product will depend on the wound’s depth, location, moisture level, drainage and stage of healing.
Dressings should be changed according to the instructions provided by the treating healthcare professional rather than according to a standard schedule that applies to every wound.
The exact process will depend on the condition of the wound and the dressing being used.
A dressing-change appointment may include:
Removing a dressing can occasionally be uncomfortable, particularly when it has dried onto the wound. A dressing that is stuck should not be pulled off forcefully, as this may damage healing tissue.
Wounds following minor surgery, skin biopsies or other in-room procedures may need one or more follow-up appointments.
Aftercare may include:
Follow the instructions given for your particular procedure. The type of wound, its location and the closure method will determine how long the dressing should stay in place and when the area can safely become wet.
A chronic wound is one that is taking longer than expected to heal or repeatedly breaks down. Slow healing may be associated with diabetes, poor circulation, pressure, reduced mobility, infection, medication, nutritional concerns or an underlying medical condition.
Ongoing care may involve:
Hout Bay Family Medical Centre provides support for patients requiring ongoing wound care, including elderly patients and those with chronic wounds.
People living with diabetes may have reduced sensation, impaired circulation or slower wound healing. A small wound, especially on the foot, can therefore become more serious if it is not identified and treated promptly.
Patients with diabetes should arrange a medical assessment for:
Do not attempt to cut away damaged tissue or treat a significant diabetic foot wound without professional guidance. The healthcare professional will determine whether GP wound care is suitable or whether specialised foot, vascular or wound-care assessment is required.
Where possible, bring information about how the wound occurred and any treatment already received.
Please also bring or provide:
Do not stop blood-thinning medication or any other prescribed medicine unless a doctor has specifically instructed you to do so.
Avoid applying unprescribed creams, powders, disinfectants or home remedies immediately before the appointment, as these may make the wound more difficult to assess.
Follow the individual instructions provided by the doctor or nurse. General care may include:
A dressing may need earlier attention if it becomes soaked, heavily stained, dirty, loose or displaced. Do not repeatedly remove a dressing simply to inspect the wound unless you have been advised to do so.
Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after a dressing change to reduce contamination.
Some mild tenderness, swelling or redness may be expected after an injury or procedure. These symptoms should generally begin improving as healing progresses.
Arrange a medical assessment if you notice:
Increasing pain, heat, spreading redness, increased wound fluid and an unpleasant odour can indicate possible wound infection and require medical assessment.
Healing time varies from one person to another. Factors that may delay healing include:
Your doctor may recommend additional assessment when a wound is not progressing as expected. This could include blood tests, circulation assessment, treatment for infection or referral to another healthcare professional.
Not every wound requires antibiotics. Antibiotics are generally considered when there is evidence of a bacterial infection or a particular medical reason to prescribe them.
The presence of a wound alone does not mean antibiotics are necessary. Your doctor will consider your symptoms, examination findings, health history and the nature of the injury before recommending treatment.
Where antibiotics are prescribed, take them according to the instructions provided and complete the course unless your doctor advises otherwise.
Some wounds are not suitable for routine management within a GP practice. Referral or urgent treatment may be required when:
A referral helps ensure that the wound is managed in the setting best equipped for the required treatment.
Hout Bay Family Medical Centre provides professional wound assessment, dressing changes and follow-up care within dedicated procedure rooms at our established family GP practice.
Our experienced doctors and nursing support team provide individual wound-care plans for suitable acute, post-procedure and chronic wounds. Patients searching for wound care in Hout Bay, professional dressing changes, chronic wound management or a trusted GP to assess a slow-healing wound can arrange an appointment with Hout Bay Family Medical Centre.
The practice is located at 19 Brighton Street, on the corner of Brighton Street and Albert Road, Hout Bay, Cape Town, and is open seven days a week, subject to changes during public holidays.
Routine wound-care appointments are not intended for medical emergencies.
Seek urgent medical help for:
Do not delay emergency treatment while waiting for a routine wound-care appointment.
