Dr Kerri Purdy speaks with Dr Laurie Parsons, a dermatologist and wound care expert in Edmonton. They discuss some of the strengths dermatologists bring to the field of wound care. And they answer resident questions such as:

• Approach to dressings in general (broad categories and when to use them)
• What dressings are best to prevent scars or improve cosmetic outcome?
• When should wound care be referred to a vascular surgeon? To a nursing service? Or when is it best for a dermatologist to manage?
• How soon can you expect wounds to heal in simple and moderately complex cases?
• What to do when you’ve tried everything you can think of, and the wound is not healing?

As always, the discussion goes beyond these specific questions and offers residents a wide-ranging look at this critical aspect of patient care.