Wounds need to be continually assessed at all stages of the healing process and an appropriate dressing regimen devised for the wound at the time. No single dressing will meet all the criteria required in all of the healing stages. Local factors which delay healing may be avoided by providing products that will produce the optimal microenvironment for healing. This micro-environment should be moist at the wound interface but remove excess exudate to avoid sloughing. The tissue temperature should be maintained and the injury protected from infective organisms, foreign particles, and toxic compounds. In addition, when the dressing is changed there should be no secondary trauma due to adherence.