![]() Exudate is fluid that oozes out of a wound and is commonly called pus or drainage. The inflammatory process appears as edema (swelling), erythema (redness), and exudate. ![]() Vasodilation occurs so that white blood cells in the bloodstream can move to the location of the wound and start cleaning the wound bed. , Īfter the hemostasis phase, the inflammatory phase begins. ![]() The hemostasis phase lasts up to 60 minutes, depending on the severity of the injury. Platelets release growth factors that alert various cells to start the repair process at the wound location. Clotting factors are released to form clots and to stop the bleeding. This is referred to as the hemostasis phase. Immediately after the injury occurs, blood vessels constrict and clotting factors are activated. To illustrate the phases of wound healing, imagine that you accidentally cut your finger with a knife as you were slicing an apple for a snack. When assessing a chronic wound that is not healing as expected, it is important to consider the potential effects of stress and medications. Medications, such as corticosteroids, also affect a patient’s immune function and can impair wound healing. Being hospitalized or undergoing surgery triggers the stress response in many patients. Stress can cause an impaired immune response that results in delayed wound healing. This is why maintaining intact skin, especially in the presence of an impaired immune system, is imperative to decrease the risk of infections. ![]() However, if the immune system is not working well, the body is much more susceptible to infections. If skin does break down, the next line of defense is a strong immune system that attacks harmful invading organisms. This is why it is essential to keep skin intact. Intact skin provides an excellent first line of defense against foreign objects entering the body. Skin contributes to the body’s immune function and is also affected by the immune system. See Figure 10.4 for images of an arterial insufficiency ulcer and necrotic toes. Necrotic tissue does not heal, so surgical debridement or amputation of the extremity becomes necessary for healing. Tissue death causes the skin and tissue to become necrotic (black). When oxygenated blood flow to tissues becomes inadequate, the tissue dies. Signs of arterial insufficiency are cool skin temperature, pale skin color, pain that increases with exercise, and possible arterial ulcers. As a person’s arteries become blocked with plaque due to atherosclerosis, there is decreased blood flow to the tissues. Arterial insufficiency can also be a chronic condition caused by peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Arterial insufficiency can be a sudden, acute lack of oxygenated blood, such as when a blood clot in an artery blocks blood flow to a specific area. Īrterial insufficiency refers to a lack of adequately oxygenated blood movement in arteries to specific tissues. In addition, the eyebrows play a key role in nonverbal communication by expressing emotions such as sadness, anger, surprise, and excitement. The eyebrows protect the eyes from dirt, sweat, and rain. Some hairs, such as the eyelashes, are especially sensitive to the presence of potentially harmful matter. Sensory receptors in the hair follicles can sense when the hair moves, whether it is because of a breeze or the touch of a physical object. Human hair has an important sensory function as well. However, this action is more effective in mammals that have thick hair than it is in relatively hairless human beings. When the body is cold, the arrector pili muscles contract, causing hairs to stand up and trapping a layer of warm air above the epidermis. One idea is that body hair helps to keep us warm in cold weather. The function of hair in other locations on the body is debated. The functions of head hair are to provide insulation to retain heat and to protect the skin from damage by UV light.
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