A person may get wounds in any area of ​​his body, and then the doctor or pharmacist will suggest appropriate wound dressings for their type and severity, and in fact, wound plasters can shorten the recovery period and give the patient low-cost care, which improves the quality of his life and enhances his productivity throughout the period. healing.

There are many different types of plasters available, as they are used for different types of wounds. Below, we will learn about the most popular types of plasters, and when they are used.

What are wound plasters?

Any wound plaster is known as a sterile dressing, made of a specific material, which is placed directly on the wound, enhances the healing period, and works to protect the wound from external factors affecting it, and some wound plasters are made of special materials to allow oxygen to cross, or materials to absorb excess fluid There are also waterproof wound plasters, transparent wound plasters, of large or small size, as any of them are chosen based on the type, location, size and severity of the wound.

There are important criteria to be taken into consideration before choosing the appropriate type of plaster, including: cleaning the wound, absorption, and the need to add a specific type of medicine. It is necessary to choose a good, high-quality, easy-to-use type, with an appropriate price, and approved by the doctor.

How to choose a suitable wound plasters?

The ideal dressing is selected based on the type of wound, and its selection should be based on the following:

• Give the necessary moisture.
• Allow gas exchange between the wound tissue and the external environment.
• Maintain wound temperature.
• Protection from bacterial infection.
• It should not stick to the wound itself.
• Easy to remove at any time to change it, or after recovery.
• Sterilized, non-toxic and hypoallergenic.

Reasons for using wound plasters

Many types of wounds need dressings, but wounds that need special types of plasters are surgical, or chronic wounds, and plasters generally aim to:

• Pain reduction.
• Apply pressure to promote cessation of bleeding.
• Protect the wound from contamination, external factors, and body fluids.
• Promotes wound healing.
• Limits movement of the affected part of the body.

Before using the wound plasters

Before using any type of dressing, the medical team will keep the following in mind:

• The nature of the injury and wound.
• The risk of contamination and infection of the wound.
• The injury is in deep tissue.
• Damage to nearby tissues or nerves.
• Risk of tetanus infection.
• The amount of tissue lost.

Types of plasters and their uses

The plasters vary according to the method of manufacture and their purpose, as follows:

gauze gauze dressings

One of the most widely used wound dressings today, gauze is made of woven or non-woven materials. Gauze is highly permeable and non-occlusive, so it can enhance wound drying, and may be used as a primary or secondary dressing.

Gauze is cheap, and it can be used for any type of wound, such as infected wounds, and wounds from which fluids are drained, but one of its disadvantages is that it must be changed frequently, and it may stick to the wound.

Transparent dressing

Any transparent wound plaster is made of polyurethane. This type of bandage allows oxygen to cross into the wound to nourish it. This type is used for partial thickness wounds, minor burns, bed sores (pressure sores), and donor sites (areas taken from the skin to cover a wound else).

This type of dressing is characterized by its long stay on the wound, which may reach a week, and limits bacterial infection, and prevents friction of the wound, but it may stick in some wounds, and is not suitable for some wounds with heavy drainage.

Foam Wound Dressing

They are different forms of polyurethane (or other types of polymer) foam, and there are thin and thick ones, and they contain small cells to absorb liquids, depending on their thickness, and the area in contact with the wound does not stick to it for easy removal.

They are comfortable, highly absorbent, and come in many shapes, but may require another type of dressing to hold them in place. They cannot be used on wounds that do not drain fluids, and some types are not suitable for some types of wounds such as infected wounds and deep wounds.

waterproof wound plasters

Hydrocolloid dressings, called hydrocolloid dressings, use hydrophilic colloidal particles such as gelatin, pectin, and cellulose, have a strong adhesive backing, and vary widely in absorbency capabilities, and are used in pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, and burns.

It is water-resistant, and impermeable to bacteria, urine, or feces, but it may move if it is in a place on the body subject to constant friction, and may leave a residue on the wound that may be mistakenly believed to be an infection, and it cannot be used in cases of infection.

Composites stickers

Also known as combination dressings, this dressing is made from a mixture of other types, but it is simply a combination of a moisture-retaining dressing and gauze, and is used in various types of wounds depending on the type of dressing.

Paper adhesive tape

It is commonly used and known as (wound plaster) in pharmacies, and is useful in small wounds, tears, or small incisions, but it is not useful for wounds with a large amount of secretions, and doctors use it to join the two ends of a small wound together, and it may also be used in surgery with surgical sutures absorbable or buried sutures.

This type is inexpensive and very popular, but it can lose its stickiness if exposed to water, and it usually falls off on its own within 10 days.

Surgical alternative to sutures

These plasters are an alternative to sewing, and they are similar to the zipper, and are used for wounds that need regular supervision by a doctor. They are two adhesive strips with a zipper in the middle, and with their closure, they pull the two ends of the wound together, and studies indicate that they are painless. When removed, so it may be a suitable choice for children, but can not be used for obese patients, wounds with an angle of more than 20 degrees.

Finally, doctors determine wound dressings based on the type, size, depth, and severity of the wound. Doctors’ instructions must be followed and the tape should not be moved to promote the healing period.