Wound dressing is considered as an imperative part of wound healing. Any skin injury, major or minor needs a certain degree of moisture to improve the process. Transparent film dressing is one of the common and effective types of wound dressing that maintain and retain moisture.
There are several options available when it comes to wound bandages. Each patient requires a different form of dressing depending on the severity and nature of the wound. Along with the benefit of improving wound healing, these modern dressings help prevent wound infection, break down the damaged tissues, and reduce associated pain.
What Do You Know about Transparent Film Dressing Frame Style?
Made up of Polyurethane membrane, transparent dressing is known for its see through appearance. The sheet is permeable to water and small molecules but does not let larger molecules such as bacteria pass through it.
The dressing is self-adhesive and does not bind to the margins of the wound, therefore preventing adhesive trauma. These suits the best for low to moderate exuding wounds as transparent film dressing does not have absorptive capacity.
A few examples of such dressings are Cutifilm, Tegaderm, Bioclusive, and others.
Where to Apply the Dressing?
Transparent film dressing is not used for the wounds with heavy secretions. Following are the examples transparent film dressing is beneficial for.
- Protective eyelid coverings
- To cover and protect I.V. catheter sites
- Superficial dermal ulcers
- Infected wounds
- Minor burns
- Lacerations
- Superficial wounds
- Minor to moderate pressure ulcers
- Post tattoo application and removal
Application of Film Dressing
Applying the wound dressing in the right way leads to the desired results of wound healing in time. Below-given are the steps to apply the film dressing:
- Wash your hands and wear a new pair of gloves
- Clean the skin injury site with saline solution or cleanser as instructed.
- Pat dry the area around the wound with a gauze pad.
- After cleaning and drying, apply a liquid barrier film to the wound to protect from wound exudate. Defatting of the skin with alcohol is also suggested to enhance the film adherence.
- Apply wound filler or packing material for deep wounds.
- Peel the safety liner from the dressing to expose the adhesive section.
- Carefully apply the dressing on the wound in the center. Avoid stretching the dressing during application.
- Gently smooth the dressing from center to outwards.
- Ensure that the film dressing should be one inch larger in size than the wound. Also, check the recommendation from the manufacturer as some dressings require the border of 2 inches.
- Remove the waste and discard the gloves.
Based on the manufacturer’s recommendation, the frequency of dressing change could be different. Usually, it lasts for 3-5 days and may be up to 7 days. In case of any leakages, skin redness, or irritation, remove the dressing and check if it’s the right one or not.
Benefits of Using Transparent Film Dressing
The immense benefits of transparent film dressing to help in the healing of a skin injury cannot be overlooked. Here are a few advantages for which the transparent dressing is a choice of health care professional.
- Reduce Infection Chances
Bacterial infection hinders the normal recovery process and may cause the wound even worse.
For skin injuries, a dressing which acts as a protective barrier against external bacteria can reverse such situation. With the fast healing rates of the film dressing and lower risk of getting infection, the patient recovers early.
- Better Wound Visualization
For critical skin injury, it is better for the health care professional to examine the wound. Transparent film dressing allows the physician to assess the wound healing process easily and helps in taking required changes if needed.
- Enhanced Moisture
Transparent dressing is a good choice for low exudate wound which plays a critical role in inducing the breakdown of damaged tissues followed by the growth of healthy tissues.
The exudate released from the wound facilitates in creating a moist environment which induces a faster healing process by replacing injured skin with a healthier one.
- Protect from External Trauma
An uncovered wound is more prone to getting frictions and skin injuries.
A transparent film dressing prevents more skin injury by providing a barrier between the wound and surroundings.
This keeps the wound safe from usual scratches, rubbing, and friction.
- Used as Additional Dressing
Secondary dressing has a direct impact on the effectiveness of the primary dressing. Transparent film dressing can be both used as primary as well as secondary dressing.
As a secondary dressing, the chief role of this dressing is to protect and cover the primary dressing. Health care professionals usually prescribe the dressing which is the most suitable for patient’s need.
Precautions and Considerations
There are a few factors to consider while applying transparent film dressing.
- The dressing cannot be used for the patients with heavy exudate, third degree burn, any active infection, or active herpetic lesions.
- For patients with fragile skin such as elderly or the patients using steroids, the use of transparent film dressing is not suggested to avoid adhesive trauma.
- It is better if the dressing is not used for children.
- There should be no bleeding at the wound site before application of the dressing.
- Ointments with polyethylene compromise the adhesive nature of the dressing.
- Re-sterilization of the film dressing from E beam or steam may cause some problems.
Removing Transparent Film Dressing
Removing a film dressing does not always require a health care professional but it can also be removed easily at home.
Lift the corners of the dressing and start stretching it towards the center. When two sides of the dressing remove partially, hold the dressing and continue stretching horizontally until the entire dressing removes.
It is better to be careful while doing it especially if it’s a severe wound to prevent adhesive trauma. Contact the professional in case the patient needs external help. This will facilitate in protecting the wound from any undesired skin abrasion.