How to Choose the Right Wound Dressing

Dressing a wound requires some understanding of the most common types of dressings and how they work. While you don't need to rush to the hospital every time you experience a skin tear, cut or burn, you should apply the dressing appropriately to minimize the chance for infection, dehydration of the skin or delayed healing.

Things You'll Need

• Hydrogel dressing
• Alginate dressing
• Composite dressing

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Instructions

• 1

  Use hydrogel dressings to treat skin tears, surgical wounds and burns. Made with up to 95 percent water, hydrogel is ideal for large, dry wounds with dead space (e.g. a gash within a large wound). Gauze pads infused with hydrogel are available. A hydrogel dressing should not be used on a wound with moderate to severe drainage.

• 2

  Use hydrocolloid dressings to prevent water, oxygen and bacteria from entering a wound. Ideal for wounded skin that is free of infection, hydrocolloid decreases pH levels in a wound and inhibits bacteria growth. Like hydrogel, a hydrocolloid dressing should not be used on a wound with significant amounts of wound drainage.

• 3

  Use an alginate dressing for a wound with moderate to high amounts of wound drainage. Able to absorb up to 20 times its weight in fluid, an alginate dressing can be used in infected and non-infected wounds; however, its high absorbency makes it dangerous for dry wounds, which can become dehydrated and require additional healing time.

• 4

  Use a composite dressing for dehydrated or fragile skin. Made of multiple layers, composite dressings are ideal for primary or secondary dressings meaning it can be used in conjuction with a hydrogel dressing or a hydrocolloid dressing. Use a composite dressing for light to severe drainage.