Dressing (medical)

Dressing (medical) is a sterile pad or compress applied to a wound to promote healing and protect the wound from further harm. A dressing is designed to be in direct contact with the wound, as distinguished from a bandage, which is most often used to hold a dressing in place.

Types of Dressings

There are many different types of dressings, including:

• Gauze which is a thin, translucent fabric with a loose open weave. In medical applications, gauze is generally used for wound dressing, wrapping limbs, and other purposes.
• Hydrocolloid dressing is an occlusive (air- and water-tight) wafer dressing containing gel-forming agents such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) and gelatin. The dressing is waterproof and contains an adhesive that sticks to the skin but not to the wound.
• Hydrogel dressing is a type of wound dressing that is particularly good at promoting a moist wound environment, which can enhance the healing process. Hydrogel dressings are often used for burns, necrotic wounds, pressure ulcers, and other types of wounds that require moisture to heal.
• Alginate dressing is a type of wound dressing that contains sodium and calcium derived from seaweed and is designed to be highly absorbent. These dressings can help wounds that have high amounts of drainage, and they can also help with packing wounds.

Application

The application of a dressing is an important aspect of wound management. The main purpose of a dressing is to promote healing and prevent further injury. Dressings are used to help control bleeding, prevent infection, absorb wound drainage, maintain a moist wound environment, and protect the wound from further injury.

Removal

Dressings should be changed regularly to ensure that the wound is clean. The frequency of dressing changes depends on the type of wound and dressing; some dressings need to be changed every day, while others can stay on for several days.

See Also

• Bandage
• First Aid
• Wound Healing
• Wound Management

Dressing (medical) Resources
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