Dressings and What They Do

I. HYDROGELS:
Water based; some contain glycerin or saline; DermaSyn contains Vitamin E and water; soothing; great for skin tears, diaper blisters, Stage II pressure ulcers, First and Second degree burns; use on wounds with little or no drainage; DO NOT USE ON MODERATE OR HEAVY DRAINAGE WOUNDS - IT MAY MACERATE; DO NOT USE ON INFECTED WOUNDS.

II. HYDROCOLLOIDS:
Where the rubber hits the road; water loving Colloids, acetate, glues mixed together; STAGE I OR II ULCERS ONLY - NOT ON INFECTED WOUNDS; DermaFilm - semi-occlusive, protector.

III. ALGINATES: SEAWEED!!!!:
Loves heavily draining wounds; Pulls moisture away; DermaGinate is a calcium alginate which absorbs 17x its weight!!; turns to a gel and is easy to remove.

IV. TRANSPARENT FILMS:
See-through light film which traps light drainage; air permeable yet waterproof; DermaView or DermaView II; great for skin tears, as a cover dressing.

V. FOAMS:
Water loving, soft, cushy breathable material which absorbs yet cushions; stays in place for three to 7 days; DermaLevin absorbs 4x more than a hydrocolloid; use for low to moderate draining wounds; is water release!!!; will fill a cavity; wicks "up" into the dressing instead of out!

VI. SILVER:
New; yet old; silver has long been proven to decrease infection and has wonderful effects on vascular ulcers; SilverDerm 7 is a long acting silver dressing which has been ionized with silver; use it on a wound for 7 days as a contact layer; cover it with sterile or tap water; NO SALINE!!! It would deionize the dressing; use it on infected or non-infected chronic arterial, venous, or pressure ulcers; may be used under compression wrapping such as UNNA, Dynaflex, Profore; stops pain at a local level.

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