Silicone dressings in wound management?

The gauze dressings used in the past can adhere to the wound bed and surrounding skin. Removing a dressing that has adhered to the wound can damage the new tissue on the wound bed and the skin around the wound and cause pain. Soft silicone dressings have been on the market for over 20 years and are used to reduce pain during dressing changes, protect the skin around the wound and enhance the comfort of the dressing. However, many types and brands of dressings are on the market, and not all soft silicone dressings are the same. Dressings are one of the basic tools for wound management. The medical staff needs to understand the performance of different products to choose the most suitable one for the patient and wound product.

What is a soft silicone dressing?

Silicone, also known as silicone gel, is a synthetic compound that comes in different forms, including oil, rubber, and hard resin. Its structure contains polymer chains made of silicon, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and other elements.

Soft silicone is a particular type of solid silicone with a soft and sticky texture. These properties make them conformable and adhere to dry surfaces. This silicone has low toxicity, rare adverse reactions, and cannot be absorbed by the body. The surface of the soft silicone dressing is coated with a hydrophobic soft silicone layer, which will feel sticky to the touch. The dressing does not adhere to the moist wound bed but adheres gently to the skin around the wound. This product is designed to minimize the trauma associated with dressing changes and leave no adhesive residue on the skin.

What are the different types of silicone dressings?

Wound Contact Layer:

The soft silicone contact layer is not absorbent but allows exudate to enter the auxiliary dressing. Typically, they are thin and consist of a flexible polyamide mesh that does not adhere to the wound bed. Particularly suitable for superficial wounds, skin tears, skin abrasions, surgical wounds, and bedsores.

Silicone Band-Aid:

The adhesive coating of the Band-Aid is made of silicone gel. This Band-Aid is used for superficial wounds. The advantage is that it will not cause secondary damage to the injury. And the elderly are sufficiently tacky but do not cause skin peeling or wound bed trauma when removed.

Silicone Foam Dressing:

Silicone gel foam dressings absorb more exudate and incorporate a soft silicone wound contact layer that creates a gentle bond or seal between the dressing and the wound, ensuring fluid is absorbed by the dressing while it Does not leak to the skin surface.

Silicone Scar Dressing:

The silicone sheet is thicker and does not require a secondary dressing. They should only be used on healed wounds to lighten or prevent scarring. It can be used in hypertrophic and keloid scars as well as in closed injuries to prevent the development of old and new scars.

What are the benefits of using silicone gel?

Silicone gel has less adhesion to the wound bed or surrounding skin, which can increase the patient's comfort and relieve pain. It may also help prevent hypertrophic scarring or keloids after surgery, is cost-effective, minimizes the need for analgesia during dressing changes, and can provide longer wear times.

How are silicone dressings used for pressure ulcers?

The occurrence of pressure ulcers is a complex pathological process caused by many factors. The most common type of pressure ulcer is a sacral pressure ulcer, which is challenging to treat due to its location and the risk of infection with fecal material and increased exudate production. This means that using the correct wound dressing is critical to patient recovery. Traditional nursing methods mainly use alcohol and ointment, but during the treatment, it may take away the moisture of the skin and aggravate the weakening of the skin. Choosing a suitable material for preventing pressure ulcers is the key to preventing pressure ulcers. Using a soft silicone wound dressing for these types of pressure ulcers reduces the risk of damage to the surrounding skin and reduces the number of dressing changes required, both of which reduce patient discomfort.

Additionally, for those at risk of developing pressure ulcers, a soft silicone edge foam dressing can help protect delicate areas of skin and prevent pressure ulcers by reducing friction and shearing forces when the patient rolls over or preventing footwear rubbing.

Silicone dressings are suitable for patients with:

Fragile skin, including young children and the elderly, is painful when changing dressings when it is essential to protect the skin around the wound. Note that silicone dressings should not be used on patients with a known allergy to silicone or bleeding wounds.

Longterm Medical is a leading company in the industry, with advanced and complete production equipment and inspection systems and a complete set of scientific and sound management systems. At Longterm Medical, we transform this data by innovating and developing products that make life easier for people with caring needs.

For more information on Innomed® dressings, refer to the previous articles. If you have customized needs, you are welcome to contact us; we will serve you wholeheartedly.

At Longterm Medical, we transform this data by innovating and developing products that make life easier for those who need loving care.

Editor: kiki Jia

Date: July 19, 2022