Wound Care Dressing

A dressing is used to heal a wound and prevent it from any other issues such as infections. It is used to absorb and stop the bleeding so that the wound can proceed through the healing process.

Keep in mind that there are different types of dressing for different purposes. Make sure you have the right infection control medical supplies. It’s always good to have some basic knowledge on various kinds of dressings so that you are aware which dressings suits you best.

Types of wound dressing

Hydrocolloid: 

An opaque dressing that retains the wound moisture for healing are waterproof and does not let the wound come in contact with the air. The dressing does not adhere to the wound but to the skin around it. These are used for wounds that are at high risk of infection (but not infected wounds) and little to moderately exudating wounds. Some hydrocolloid dressings have a adhesive border and some are without an adhesive border in which cases the dressing can be retained in place by putting a medical tape around the borders.

Dry dressings: 

Typically used for wounds with very little to no fluid / wound exudate. An example of this dressing would be a gauze pad that is placed over the wound and secured by a gauze bandage, medical tape or both. These are easy to apply and inexpensive. When dry dressings are taken off, there’s a high possibility that it will be stuck to the wound and therefore hard to remove. In that case, a saline solution will have to be applied.

Foam dressings: 

Foam dressings has an extra padding for wound protection and maintains the moisture of the wound. It protects it from any pressure, friction or shear. There are various types of foam dressings available, depending on the type, these can be used on low - heavily exudating wounds as well as infected wounds. These are usually semi-permeable which means these allow water vapours to enter but provides a barrier for bacteria and viruses.

Chemical impregnated dressings: 

These bandages are immersed with chemicals or agents that help fastens the healing process. Some examples of agents used in these dressings are povidone iodine, paraffin, chlorhexidine, silver, collagen or some even may contain antibiotics. Before using, check for allergic sensitivity to the agent contained.

Visit Foursquare-healthcare.co.uk for a wide variety of wound dressings at affordable prices. An online medical disposables supplier that provides the best quality in products and service. For further enquiries, talk to one of their team on 0207 101 4177 or email us.