Objective: Chronic, non-healing ulcers are a significant problem in clinical practice. The numerous complications, associated with toxicological and allergic reactions, caused by certain compounds in active dressings have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the local skin tolerance of active dressings and determine which of them carries a risk of causing local skin reactions.
Method: We tested six active dressings from different categories (hydrogel dressing, chitosan sponge dressing, silver nanoparticles dressing, dry flax fibres dressing alone and coated with linfix or oilfix) for acute irritation in rabbits and for sensitisation in guinea pigs.
Results: Only the dry flax fibre dressing showed no irritant and sensitisation effects. The remaining dressings obtained Cumulative Irritation Index from 0.00-0.35 and evoked sensitisation reaction in up to 20 % animals, which according to skin reaction category puts them in the non-to mildly-irritating and sensitising products group.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it should be considered that although analysed dressings do not present a serious risk of allergic reactions in humans, only the dry flax fibre dressing can be perceived as having negligible risk. Declaration of interest The authors have no conflict of interests.
Keywords: active wound dressing; contact allergy; dermal toxicity; flax fibre dressing; in vivo.