What an island dressing is
The name describes the construction: a pad sitting as an island in a sea of adhesive.
An island dressing has an absorbent pad in the centre, surrounded on all sides by adhesive backing. Almost every adhesive dressing you have used is one.
Why the construction matters
The adhesive contacts only intact skin around the wound, never the wound itself. That gives a continuous seal all the way round, which is what keeps contamination out.
Implications for sizing
The stated size is the whole dressing. The pad is smaller. When you match a dressing to a wound you need the pad to cover the wound, so always allow more overall dressing than the wound measures.
Where the seal fails
- The pad is too small, so adhesive sits on the wound edge.
- Fluid reaches the border and undermines the adhesive from beneath.
- A crease across the border creates a channel straight to the wound.
Smoothing the border down carefully from the centre out is what prevents the third.
See a pharmacist, GP or urgent care if a wound will not stop bleeding after ten minutes of firm pressure, is deep or gaping, was caused by something dirty or rusty, contains anything you cannot flush out, or shows spreading redness, heat, swelling, pus or a fever. Get help urgently for animal or human bites, wounds over a joint, and any wound in someone with diabetes or poor circulation.
Shop the range
FitMedix products are CE-marked medical devices intended for the care of minor wounds. This site does not provide medical advice — seek professional help for deep, dirty or non-healing wounds, or if signs of infection appear. Always read the instructions on the pack.