Postoperative wound care after dermatologic procedures: a comparison of 2 commonly used petrolatum-based ointments.

An appropriate selection of topical agents for wound care is important to promote uncomplicated healing. Petrolatum-based ointments, such as Aquaphor Healing Ointment (AHO) and white petroleum jelly, are commonly employed to keep wounds moist postoperatively. While they have beneficial properties for wound healing, they also may cause wound redness and swelling. We decided to evaluate for wound reactivity postoperatively for these 2 commonly used petrolatum-based ointments. We found that surgical wounds treated with AHO had a higher incidence of wound redness (52%) than those treated with plain white petrolatum (12%).