Dressings protect. Nutrition repairs.
A dressing protects a pressure sore, but the skin needs energy and protein to rebuild itself. Without them, healing drags on.
What is a pressure sore?
A pressure wound
A pressure sore appears when the skin stays compressed for too long, often in someone who is bedridden or in a wheelchair: heels, lower back, hips.
Four stages
From stage 1, redness that does not go away, to stage 4, a deep wound. Your doctor or nurse decides which stage it is.
Nutrition matters
A malnourished person is more likely to develop a pressure sore, and their wound heals more slowly.
What the skin needs.
Energy
Repairing a wound takes more calories than usual. The deeper the pressure sore, the greater the needs.
Protein
It provides the building materials for new skin. Needs can almost double compared with those of a healthy person.
Zinc and vitamin C
They help make collagen, the framework that supports the skin.
A simple guide.
One bottle of Delical Concentré provides 29 g of protein and 452 kcal in 200 ml, with zinc and amino acids that are useful for the skin.
Stage 1 or 2 pressure sore
1 bottle
a day
Stage 3 or 4 pressure sore
2 bottles
a day
In addition to meals, on your doctor’s advice. With two bottles, drink one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Always alongside wound care and the changes of position planned by the care team.
Day to day.
Drinking enough
Well-hydrated skin is more resilient. Drink regularly, even if you are not thirsty. If liquids make you cough, it may be aspiration: talk to your doctor. Gelled water can help.
Changing position
Changing position and a suitable mattress relieve the pressure. Follow your nurse’s advice.
Checking the skin
Redness that does not fade after a change of position should be reported straight away.
See also.
Are you eating as you used to?
The one-minute test, to find out whether you should talk to your doctor.
Calculate your Delidose
Count the chevrons on your supplements. If you are malnourished, the basic guide is 3 chevrons a day.
Malnutrition and cancer
Keep up your strength during treatment, even when your appetite and sense of taste change.
Keeping your muscles as you age
Slow down muscle loss with protein at every meal and a little movement.
Before and after an operation
Be in good shape for surgery and heal more easily, thanks to what you eat.
Living with your supplements
Taking them properly, storing them, not getting tired of them and travelling with them.
Drinking well when swallowing is hard
Drinking enough every day without drinks going down the wrong way, with a printable diary.
Helping a loved one to eat and drink
The right steps at mealtimes, with a reminder sheet to put up in the kitchen.
Need advice?
You don’t have to search alone. Talk to your doctor, your dietitian or your pharmacist. Our team is also happy to answer your questions about our products.
Sources
- European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. The International Guideline. 2019.
- Volkert D, et al. ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clin Nutr. 2019;38(1):10-47. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2018.05.024
Updated: November 2026.
Reviewed by Steeve Roland, physiotherapist, over 20 years in clinical nutrition, founder of BSNUTRITION · Updated on
Publisher: BS NUTRITION SA, Rue de l’Industrie 20, 1400 Nivelles, Belgium. Legal notice