With the plethora of wound contact dressings available and the
demand for their use in clinical practice, clinicians need to keep
abreast of what is new on the market to ensure that they provide their
patients with the best treatment options, while also considering the
costs involved. Preventing pain to the patient, trauma to the wound
or periwound skin, and infection, are key considerations for clinicians
at dressing changes (Hollinworth, 2001). With advances in wound
care technology, patients should not experience pain due to adherent
products causing trauma to the wound and/or 'skin stripping'. The
use of silicone dressings can help to prevent such occurrences from
happening and thus promote patient wellbeing and quality of life
(Upton, 2011; Yarwood-Ross, 2013). This article looks at the role of
primary wound contact layers in wound management, and introduces
a new silicone dressing with case reports demonstrating its positive
effects in clinical practice.