Wound Care in Alexandria, VA
When an injury or ulcer creates an open wound, top-quality wound care is essential to help your body heal properly and safely. At Landmark Foot & Ankle Center in Alexandria, VA , our doctors are board certified and sub-specialized in wound management and limb salvage, providing advanced care that protects your health and mobility.
Book OnlineWhat Is Wound Care?
Wound care is specialized medical treatment focused on supporting healthy tissue healing after the surface of the skin is broken. While many small wounds heal on their own, a significant wound or one that isn’t healing properly needs professional care to prevent infection and serious complications. Common wounds we treat include:
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Pressure sores
- Surgical wounds
- Traumatic injuries
- Venous and arterial ulcers
If you have a compromised immune system due to diabetes, cancer, chemotherapy, or nerve damage, you have an elevated risk of a wound that won’t heal properly without treatment.
Why Is Wound Care Important for Diabetics?
Diabetes interferes with normal circulation and can cause peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage. Together, these make it hard to feel minor wounds on your feet and slow normal healing. Even a small cut on the bottom of your foot, a blister, or an ingrown toenail can quickly develop into a serious wound. Without professional care, a minor break in the skin can begin a cascade of complications that, for some patients, ends in amputation.
That’s why our doctors, Dr. Philip P. Garrett and Dr. Victoria Nolte, focus on limb salvage, helping at-risk diabetic, vascular, and neuropathic patients heal and stay active. Routine diabetic nail care and properly fitted custom orthotics or therapeutic shoes are also important parts of prevention.
When Should I Seek Treatment for a Wound?
Minor wounds should be kept clean and covered with a bandage, and over-the-counter antibiotic ointment can support healing. If your wound is large, deep, shows signs of infection, or doesn’t seem to be healing within a couple of days, visit Landmark Foot & Ankle Center for a professional assessment. If you have diabetes, it’s always better to err on the side of caution.
What Are the Goals of Wound Care?
- Speeding healing
- Preventing the wound from worsening or becoming infected
- Preventing limb loss
- Supporting mobility and independence
No two wounds are exactly alike, so after a thorough diagnostic exam, you begin a personalized treatment process.
Our Wound Care Treatment Options
The first step is cleaning the wound to remove bacteria and debris. Debridement, the removal of dead skin and tissue, is sometimes needed and may be performed with local anesthesia. Wounds may be cleaned with water or special solutions, wet dressings, or a sterile instrument.
Once the wound is clean, your provider applies a sterile dressing to protect the area, maintain a moist healing environment, and prevent infection. Additional tools may include offloading devices, compression stockings, ultrasound therapy, and negative pressure therapy, which gently pulls air out of a sealed dressing to improve blood flow. Regular follow-up visits allow us to monitor progress closely.
If a wound is related to a foot deformity such as a bunion or hammertoe, correcting the underlying problem can help prevent recurrence. Patients with fat pad loss may also benefit from Liposana Fatpad Restoration to restore cushioning. Explore all of our podiatry services.
Wound Care FAQs
What types of wounds do you treat?
We treat diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, surgical wounds, traumatic injuries, and venous and arterial ulcers of the feet and lower legs.
Why do diabetic foot wounds heal slowly?
Diabetes reduces circulation and can cause neuropathy, which makes it harder to feel injuries and slows the body’s natural healing process.
When should I see a podiatrist for a wound?
See a podiatrist if a wound is large, deep, shows signs of infection, or isn’t improving within a couple of days, and right away if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
What is debridement?
Debridement is the removal of dead or infected tissue from a wound so healthy tissue can grow. It is often an essential step in healing chronic wounds.
What is limb salvage?
Limb salvage is specialized care focused on healing serious wounds and preventing amputation in patients with diabetes, vascular disease, or neuropathy.
How often will I need follow-up visits?
Most wounds require regular follow-up so your podiatrist can monitor healing, change dressings, and adjust treatment as needed.
How can I prevent foot wounds?
Check your feet daily, keep skin moisturized, wear well-fitting shoes, never walk barefoot if you have neuropathy, and schedule regular podiatry exams.
Protect Your Feet With Expert Wound Care
Don’t wait on a wound that isn’t healing. Call (703) 370-2313 or request an appointment online with Landmark Foot & Ankle Center in Alexandria, VA .
