What is the use of feracrylum gel? Understanding its multi-action properties

October 6, 2025 •

4 min read

With a history spanning over 25 years in clinical use, feracrylum gel is recognized for its three-pronged approach to wound care: hemostatic, antimicrobial, and hygroscopic actions. Primarily applied topically, this biodegradable polymer plays a crucial role in controlling bleeding and managing a wide array of skin injuries.

Quick Summary

Feracrylum gel is a topical antiseptic and hemostatic agent used to manage bleeding and prevent infection in various wounds, including cuts, burns, and post-operative sites. It creates a physical barrier to stop oozing while also maintaining a moist, bacteria-free environment for accelerated healing. The gel is applied externally as a thin layer to the affected area.

Key Points

Three-Way Action: Feracrylum gel works as a hemostatic, antimicrobial, and hygroscopic agent, providing comprehensive wound care by stopping bleeding, preventing infection, and promoting a moist healing environment.
Rapid Bleeding Control: Upon contact with blood albumin, the gel forms a physical barrier that creates a large, rubbery clot to quickly stop capillary bleeding and oozing.
Broad-Spectrum Antiseptic: It is effective against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, reducing the risk of wound infections.
Enhances Healing: The hygroscopic nature of the gel maintains a moist wound bed, which accelerates tissue regeneration, improves re-epithelialization, and facilitates healthy granulation tissue formation.
Reduces Pain and Complications: Studies show feracrylum can significantly reduce intraoperative blood loss, post-operative hematoma, and pain during dressing changes compared to other treatments.
Safe for External Use: Due to its high molecular weight, feracrylum is not systemically absorbed, limiting adverse effects to localized irritation or a burning sensation at the application site.
Diverse Applications: The gel is used for managing minor cuts, abrasions, surgical wounds, burns, dental extractions, and chronic conditions like diabetic foot ulcers.

Understanding the Multifaceted Action of Feracrylum Gel

Feracrylum is a water-soluble polymer composed of incomplete ferrous salts of polyacrylic acid. Its unique properties make it an effective topical agent for managing bleeding and promoting wound healing. The gel's action is defined by three primary mechanisms:

Hemostatic Action: When feracrylum comes into contact with blood, particularly the plasma protein albumin, it forms a biodegradable, water-insoluble synthetic complex. This large, rubbery clot acts as a physical barrier on the wound's surface, effectively stopping capillary bleeding and oozing within minutes. Importantly, its action does not interfere with the body's normal blood clotting process.
Antimicrobial Action: Feracrylum exhibits broad-spectrum anti-infective activity against a wide variety of microorganisms, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and pathogenic fungi. It works by interacting with and rupturing the microbial cell wall, preventing infection from setting in and delaying the healing process.
Hygroscopic Action: The gel's hygroscopic nature means it can absorb moisture from its surroundings. By absorbing wound exudate, it maintains an optimal moist healing environment. A moist wound bed is well known to enhance angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and collagen synthesis, leading to faster and more effective healing.

Clinical Applications of Feracrylum Gel

Feracrylum gel's multi-action properties make it suitable for a diverse range of clinical and daily use cases:

Minor Wounds: Ideal for the management of minor cuts, scratches, abrasions, and skin lacerations to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
Post-Operative and Surgical Wounds: Used as an adjunct to conventional hemostatics to control capillary and vein oozing during and after surgery, including dental extractions and other oral surgeries. It helps ensure a clear surgical field and minimizes post-operative complications like hematomas and edema.
Burns: Clinically studied for treating second-degree burns, demonstrating faster wound closure and less pain during dressing changes compared to other agents like silver sulfadiazine.
Chronic Wounds: Shown promise in treating chronic non-healing wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers. Studies indicate it can lead to faster healing and shorter hospital stays compared to traditional povidone-iodine dressings.
Endonasal Surgeries: Clinical evidence suggests its topical application after endonasal procedures can reduce post-operative hemorrhage, dressing soakage, and pain upon removal.

Benefits in Wound Management

The unique composition and action of feracrylum gel offer several key advantages in wound management:

Rapid Hemostasis: The ability to quickly form a protective clot on the wound surface is crucial for controlling bleeding and minimizing blood loss.
Reduced Risk of Infection: Its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity provides a protective barrier against a wide range of bacteria and fungi, which can accelerate healing by preventing wound contamination.
Enhanced Healing Environment: By maintaining optimal moisture levels, the gel supports the body's natural healing processes and promotes the growth of healthy granulation tissue.
Non-Systemic Absorption: Feracrylum's high molecular weight means it is not absorbed into the systemic circulation, minimizing the risk of systemic adverse effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs.
Ease of Application: The gel formulation is easy to apply and remove, causing less discomfort, which can improve patient compliance. It is also non-sticky and odorless.

Feracrylum Gel vs. Other Topical Agents

To better understand feracrylum's place in wound care, a comparison with common alternatives is useful. Povidone-iodine is a widely used antiseptic for wounds, offering broad-spectrum antimicrobial action.


Feature	Feracrylum Gel	Povidone-Iodine	Silver Sulfadiazine
Primary Action	Hemostatic, Antiseptic, Hygroscopic	Antiseptic	Antibacterial
Main Benefit	Stops bleeding, prevents infection, promotes moist healing	Kills a wide range of pathogens	Prevents infection, particularly in burns
Wound Environment	Promotes a moist environment conducive to healing.	Dries out the wound surface, potentially delaying healing.	Can create a moist environment, but often requires painful dressing changes.
Pain	Less discomfort during dressing changes due to hygroscopic property.	Can cause stinging and irritation.	May cause significant pain upon removal of dressings.
Systemic Absorption	No systemic absorption due to high molecular weight.	Can be absorbed systemically, especially with prolonged use.	Can cause systemic toxicity in rare cases.
Effect on Clotting	Does not interfere with the natural clotting cascade.	No primary hemostatic effect.	No hemostatic effect.
Adverse Effects	Mild burning or irritation at site.	Stinging, irritation, potential allergy.	Allergic reactions, skin discoloration.

Side Effects and Safety Considerations

While generally safe for external use, feracrylum gel can cause some mild side effects.

Common Side Effects: Users may experience a temporary burning or stinging sensation and irritation at the application site. These effects usually subside quickly.
Allergic Reactions: Patients with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to feracrylum or any of its inactive ingredients should not use the product.
External Use Only: The gel is strictly for topical application and should not be ingested or applied to the eyes or mouth.
Drug Interactions: It is contraindicated for use with epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA), an antifibrinolytic agent, as this can interfere with feracrylum's clotting mechanism.
Pregnancy and Lactation: Feracrylum should be used with caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and only under a doctor's supervision.

How to Properly Apply Feracrylum Gel

For optimal results, follow these steps for applying feracrylum gel to a wound:

Clean the affected area thoroughly with water or a saline solution to remove debris.
Puncture the tube's nozzle seal with the cap's piercing point.
Apply a thin, even layer of the gel directly onto the wound using a clean fingertip or applicator.
Depending on the injury, the wound may be covered with a sterile cotton pad or dressing.
Repeat the application once or twice daily, as directed by a healthcare professional, until the wound is healed.

Conclusion

Feracrylum gel is a highly effective, safe, and reliable topical agent for a variety of wound management needs. Its triple-action approach—providing rapid hemostasis, broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection, and a moist healing environment—positions it as a superior alternative to many conventional dressings and antiseptics. With minimal risk of systemic side effects due to its non-absorbable nature, feracrylum provides an excellent option for managing minor cuts, burns, and post-operative bleeding, leading to better patient outcomes and faster recovery. By understanding what is the use of feracrylum gel, both clinicians and patients can leverage its benefits for improved wound care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Feracrylum gel typically stops capillary bleeding and oozing within 2 to 3 minutes of application by forming a physical barrier on the wound's surface.

Feracrylum gel is primarily intended for superficial cuts, abrasions, and capillary oozing. For deep cuts or serious bleeding, immediate professional medical attention is required. Always follow a doctor's advice for serious injuries.

Feracrylum gel should only be used in children if advised by a doctor. Its safety and efficacy have been studied in pediatric surgical settings, but parental supervision is always necessary for topical application.

Feracrylum gel is contraindicated for use with epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA), as it can interfere with the gel's clotting mechanism. You should always inform your doctor about any other medicines, supplements, or herbal remedies you are taking.

For most minor wounds, a thin layer of feracrylum gel can be applied once or twice daily, or as directed by a healthcare professional.

A mild, temporary burning or stinging sensation is a common and typically non-serious side effect. If the discomfort is persistent, severe, or accompanied by other signs of an allergic reaction (like a rash), you should stop use and consult a doctor.

Feracrylum gel is not specifically indicated for the treatment of hemorrhoids. It is primarily a topical hemostatic and antiseptic for external wounds and surgical sites. For hemorrhoid treatment, specific ointments and medical advice should be sought.