Wound Dressings

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Wound Dressings

Wound dressings for clinics, hospitals, aged care facilities and NDIS providers across Australia, in single units and bulk packs. Stocked brands include 3M Tegaderm, Algisite, Zetuvit, Mesalt and FastAid.

Three questions pick the dressing

Most dressing selection comes down to three things, in this order.

How much exudate is there? This is the main driver. A dressing that absorbs less than the wound produces leads to leakage, maceration of the surrounding skin and frequent changes. A dressing that absorbs more than the wound produces dries the bed out and stalls healing. Matching absorbency to output is most of the job.

Is there devitalised tissue? Slough and eschar need either rehydration or absorption to lift, depending on whether they are dry or wet.

Is there infection or a high bioburden? Local infection changes the dressing choice to an antimicrobial and usually shortens the wear time. Spreading infection is a systemic problem, not a dressing problem.

Selection guide

Dressing type	Exudate level	Typical use	Cover dressing needed
Transparent film	None to minimal	IV and catheter sites, superficial wounds, protecting intact skin	No
Hydrogel	None, for dry wounds	Rehydrating dry slough or eschar, donating moisture	Yes
Hydrocolloid	Low	Shallow wounds, autolytic debridement, sacral and heel protection	No
Silicone or non-adherent contact layer	Low to moderate	Fragile skin, skin tears, wounds needing frequent inspection	Yes
Foam	Moderate to heavy	Pressure injuries, leg ulcers, general purpose	Adhesive no, plain yes
Alginate or gelling fibre	Moderate to heavy	Cavity wounds, packing, lightly bleeding wounds	Yes
Superabsorbent	Heavy	Highly exuding leg ulcers, oedematous limbs	Usually
Antimicrobial, such as silver or DACC	Any	Wounds with high bioburden or local infection	Depends on format

Primary and secondary dressings

A primary dressing touches the wound. A secondary dressing holds it in place and manages the fluid that comes through it. Alginates, gelling fibres, hydrogels and plain contact layers are all primary dressings and all need something over them. Ordering alginate ropes without a foam or pad to cover them is one of the more common gaps in a dressing order, and it is usually discovered at the bedside.

Moist, not wet

A wound bed that is kept moist epithelialises faster than one allowed to dry and scab. That is the principle behind every modern dressing on this page. The failure mode at the other end is just as real: exudate held against intact skin at the wound margin macerates it, the wound effectively grows, and the dressing gets blamed for the wound getting worse. If the peri-wound skin is white and soggy at each change, the dressing is not absorbent enough or is being left on too long.

Leave it alone

Dressings are often changed more often than they need to be. Each change cools the wound bed, disrupts the new surface and costs staff time. Most modern dressings are designed for multi-day wear and should be left until there is a reason to remove them: strike-through, leakage, lifting edges, pain, odour, or a scheduled review. The exception is a wound with suspected infection, which is inspected more frequently.

When an occlusive dressing is the wrong answer

Occlusive and semi-occlusive dressings hold moisture in, which is usually the point. They are not appropriate over dry stable eschar on an ischaemic limb, where the current approach is to keep that eschar dry and intact rather than rehydrate it, and they are generally avoided where infection is suspected and the wound needs to be seen.

Types we stock

Non-adherent and silicone-faced: used where surrounding skin is fragile or dressings are changed frequently.
Foam and super-absorbent: used for moderate to heavy exudate.
Hydrogel and hydrocolloid: used where a moist wound environment is intended.
Calcium alginate and gelling fibre: used in cavity and heavily exuding wounds.
Island and adhesive dressings: used for minor wounds and post-operative cover.
Sodium chloride impregnated pads: used for sloughy and heavily exuding wounds.
Sterile dressing packs: for procedure set-up.

Dressing choice should be made by a qualified clinician based on the individual wound and the patient's circumstances. The guidance above is general information and does not replace clinical assessment or your organisation's own wound management protocols.