Dressing (medicine)

[2] Modern dressings[3] include dry or impregnated gauze, plastic films, gels, foams, hydrocolloids, hydrogels, and alginates.

Commonly used antiseptics include povidone-iodine, boracic lint dressings or historically castor oil.

[6] Bioelectric dressings can be effective in attacking certain antibiotic-resistant bacteria[7] and speeding up the healing process.

Occlusive dressings, made from substances impervious to moisture such as plastic or latex, can be used to increase their rate of absorption into the skin.

Generally, these products are indicated for only superficial, clean, and dry wounds with minimal exudates.

Gauze dressing is made up of woven or non-woven fibres of cotton, rayon, and polyester.

Gauze dressing are capable of absorbing discharge from wound but requires frequent changing.

On the other hand, tulle gras dressing which is impregnated with paraffin oil is indicated for superficial clean wound.

Due to the limited absorption capacity, such dressing is only used in superficial wounds with low amount of discharge.

It has high water content, thus provides moisture and cooling effect for the wound.

Ions present in the dressing can interact with blood to produce a film that protects the wound from bacterial contamination.

Many biologics, skin substitutes, biomembranes and scaffolds have been developed to facilitate wound healing through various mechanisms.

[11] Applying a dressing is a first aid skill, although many people undertake the practice with no training – especially on minor wounds.

This can consist of anything, including clothing or spare material, which will fulfill some of the basic tenets of a dressing – usually stemming bleeding and absorbing exudate.