New research published in the October issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases has found that maggots are useful in treating deep wounds without increasing the risk of further infection. Maggots work because they eat dead tissue (debridement) within the wound, which can promote infection.

Can maggots really clean a wound?

Maggot therapy can be an effective therapy in wound debridement and it performs especially well in sloughy wounds. Maggots remove slough quickly in one or a few applications and prepare the wound for healing.

What happens if you put maggots on a wound?

Maggots can be used to treat dirty or infected wounds as they remove dead tissue and bacteria (germs), leaving behind healthy tissue that can heal. The maggots used in this treatment are specially bred and are sterile so they cannot cause infection.