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Leg ulcer - venous - Management
What issues should I consider before prescribing dressings?
- People with venous leg ulcers have high rates of skin sensitivity to allergens. Common allergens may be present in products used for venous leg ulcers, as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Common allergens in the management of venous leg ulcers.
| Common allergen | Potential source |
|---|
Lanolin | Wool alcohols, amerchol L101 | Bath additives, creams, emollients, barrier preparations |
Antibiotic | Neomycin, framycetin, bacitracin | Tulle dressings, topical antibiotics |
Preservative | Parabens | Topical preparations, paste bandages |
Vehicle | Cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetyl stearyl alcohol, cetostearyl alcohol | Most creams, emulsifying ointment, and some paste bandages |
Adhesive | Colophony/ester of rosin | Adhesive-backed bandages and dressings, hydrocolloids |
Rubber | Mercapto/carba/thiuram mix | Elastic bandages and supports, elastic stockings, latex gloves worn by carer |
Biocide | Chlorocresol, quinoline mix, chlorhexidine | Antiseptics and dressings |
Corticosteroid | Tixocortal pivalate | Topical corticosteroid preparations |
Fragrance | Fragrance mix/balsam of Peru | Bath additives, emollients |
|
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