Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Biobrane Dressing

Biobrane (also called artificial skin) is a white, stretchable dressing that covers the site of a burn wound. It's also used to cover the donor site if you have a skin graft. It will stay in place to protect your wound while it heals. You may do your normal activities with the Biobrane on your wound. Here are some general guidelines for home care.

What to expect

• For the first few days, some fluid from your wound or donor site will drain through the Biobrane. This is normal. You can use a heat lamp or hair dryer to dry the Biobrane.

• The donor site will be painful until it's dry. Take pain medicine as directed by your healthcare provider.

• As your wound or donor site heals, the Biobrane will look crusty. It may itch.

• About 7 to 14 days after the dressing was placed, it will start to lift off at the edges.

• Once the Biobrane is removed, the skin will be pink or dark red with white flaky areas. Don't be alarmed. The pink or dark red color will go away in time.

Wound care

• Bathe or shower daily.

  • Use a separate washcloth to gently wash the Biobrane. Don’t scrub it.

  • Don’t keep the Biobrane under water for more than 10 minutes.

  • Rinse well.

  • Dry yourself and pat the Biobrane dry with a separate towel. Use a hair dryer set on cool to dry the Biobrane if you wish.

• Check the wound for signs of infection, like redness, swelling, drainage, or a bad smell.

• As the Biobrane begins to lift up and your wound starts to heal, trim off the loose edges of the dressing. Use clean scissors that you have cleaned with an alcohol swab. Stop trimming if it's painful or if it causes bleeding.

• Apply lotion or moisturizing cream to the areas where you have trimmed off the Biobrane. Ask your healthcare provider which lotion or cream would be best.

• Don't cover Biobrane with other dressings. You don’t have to worry that it will fall off.

Follow-up

Make a follow-up appointment as directed by your healthcare provider.

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider if you have any of the following:

• Increased redness, swelling, or warmth in the skin around the wound

• Fluid building up under the Biobrane

• Bad smell coming from the wound

• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your provider

• Chills

• Increasing pain, or pain not eased by your pain medicine

• Bleeding