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Gauze and occlusive dressings are two types of wound dressings typically used to treat wounds. While both types of dressing serve the same purpose in promoting wound healing, they differ in many ways. This article will provide an overview of medical gauze vs. occlusive dressing, as well as differences between types of occlusive dressings for different kinds of wounds.
The Meaning of Occlusive and Non-occlusive
Gauze dressings are non-occlusive, meaning they allow air to pass through them onto the dermal surface. On the other hand, occlusive dressings are closed, which means they do not allow air to pass through them.
The Importance of Wound Coverage
Wound dressings are a critical part of wound care. They help protect the wound surface from contaminants and help to prevent pathogens from causing infection, allowing the body’s natural healing process to work unimpeded.
If a wound is too wet, the body’s tissue growth factors can’t work properly. If a wound dries out and forms a scab, it will heal, but not as quickly — and will likely leave a scar. Moist wounds, however, heal faster with less scarring and have less chance of infection. Modern wound management seeks to keep the wound in a moist environment.
The primary function of any dressing is to absorb blood or pus, which forms after trauma or surgery. Most often, gauze pads are used to apply pressure on the area where there has been an injury so fluids can absorb into the dressing material instead of leaking out onto clothing or bedding. Gauze is a temporary covering for wounds; dispose of used gauze when it becomes saturated with fluid from bleeding or material from an exudative wound.
Gauze Dressings
Gauze can be made out of either cotton or rayon fibers. It’s generally wrapped around the wound like a bandage so it can absorb excess discharge (or exudate) from the wound. Gauze is absorbent; it must be changed when it gets too saturated with blood or fluid. Frequent dressing changes are necessary to prevent infection. Gauze is a cost-effective method of keeping other types of wound dressing in place.
Wet-To-Dry Dressings
Wet-to-dry dressings came about as doctors began to understand the nature and importance of moisture in the wound environment. A non-occlusive dressing such as gauze would be moistened with saline, placed on an open wound, and allowed to dry. The idea was to allow dead tissue to dry and stick to the bandage, which would pull off when the dressing is changed (a process called “manual debridement”). Professional clinicians or healthcare providers specializing in wound care would usually perform this procedure, which is not as common as it once was.
Occlusive Dressings
An occlusive dressing seals a wound from the outside environment, and these types of modern dressings usually have a waxy surface that is non-adherent — reducing the risk of the wound sticking to the dressing. Since occlusive bandages are designed to form a seal, they are ideal for keeping topical ointments on the wound bed. This protection is important for injuries like burn wounds which can cover a large area of the body. There are several types of occlusive bandages available, each suited to a different application:
- Transparent film dressings are usually manufactured of polyurethane and used to cover IV sites or small wounds. Transparent film is often recommended for superficial wounds that don’t have much exudate.
- Hydrogel dressings are semi-occlusive dressings that are available in sheets, hydrogel-impregnated bandages, or hydrogel itself that must be held in place with a secondary dressing. Hydrogels are composed of hydrophilic polymers that serve to re-hydrate wounds.
- Hydrocolloid dressings have a dry hydrogel layer on top of a flexible adhesive backing. They are flexible enough to cover areas that would otherwise be difficult. Since they are flexible and waterproof, hydrocolloid dressings can also be employed to cover the granulation tissue of partially healed wounds to protect them from further agitation.
Healing Begins With Wound Dressing
Giving wounds the best chance to heal is the key to a patient getting back to their normal routines. Whether it’s from injury, surgical wounds, or chronic wounds like venous ulcers, proper wound care and wound dressing lets the human body take over and work effectively. Penn Care has multiple options for wound care and dressing for every scenario. Whether you’re deciding between medical gauze vs. occlusive dressing (or need both), order from Penn Care today.
