What to do when a dressing has stuck to the wound
Never pull. Soaking costs you five minutes and saves the tissue you have spent days growing.
A pad that has dried onto a wound has bonded to the new tissue forming across it. Pulling removes that tissue.
The method
- Soak the dressing thoroughly with sterile saline or clean warm water.
- Wait. Several minutes, topping up so it does not dry again.
- Test one corner gently. If there is resistance, soak longer.
- Lift slowly once it releases freely.
If it will not release
Leave it in place, keep it moist, and get it looked at. A stuck dressing is not an emergency and forcing it can be a serious setback.
Preventing it next time
- Use a dressing with a non-adherent contact layer.
- Do not let the wound dry out between changes.
- Change before the pad becomes completely dry and crusted.
- On wounds that keep sticking, consider a silicone-faced dressing.
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.
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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.