Update on the standard of care of dermatologic postprocedural wounds

In conclusion, every time a dermatologist performs a procedure that inflicts a minor wound, an individual assessment should be made as to how to best promote wound healing. When anatomic locations that are associated with a higher risk for postoperative infections are involved (eg, groin, distal extremities), topical antibiotics can be utilized. Many dermatologists continue to follow guidelines and recommend topical antibiotics for the treatment of minor superficial wounds; however, clean wounds with negligible bacterial burden may not benefit from the use of prophylactic antibiotics.2 For cosmetic laser resurfacing procedures, proper systemic antiviral and antibiotic regimens are integral measures for infection prophylaxis in addition to the use of topical adjuncts to promote reepithelialization. Future randomized controlled trials involving larger subsets of patients will help to better establish proper standards of care when treating a minor wound created during a simple dermatologic procedure. Copyright Cosmetic Dermatology 2012.