Opsite

Opsite is a brand of wound care products from Smith and Nephew that includes adhesive dressings and medical tape. Opsite dressings provide a moist wound environment while still allowing excess moisture to evaporate, helping prevent skin maceration. They are made from a transparent material that allows you to monitor the conditon of your wound. This flexible material is ideal for use on awkward areas of the body. There is also a grid printed on the film, which acts as a guide if you need to trim the dressing to a different size. Some Opsite bandages have a pad attached to the adhesive film to absorb exudate and act as a cushion over the wound.

Smith and Nephew Opsite also makes a transparent, skin-safe medical tape to hold non-adhesive bandages or wound gauze in place. Express Medical Supply also carries other brands of tape that are made from cloth, paper, silk, or elastic. The strength of the adhesive can vary, and some varieties of skin tape are waterproof. Every type of tape is designed to be gentle on skin, regardless of material or adhesive level. Please see our blog for more information on the different types of medical tape so you can choose the best one for your needs.

If you cannot use medical tape due to adhesive allergies, a great alternative is a self-adhering wrap, such as a Coflex Bandage. This product is made of a stretchy, breathable material. A self-adhering bandage only sticks to itself, not to skin or hair. Clips are not required to secure it in place. These medical wraps can also be used to comfortably compress injuries and reduce edema or post-operative swelling. 3M Coban is another brand of self-adhesive compression bandages that comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Coban and Coflex are both available in latex-free varieties.

Wound Gel, also known as a hydrogel dressing, is used under bandages or gauze to help the wound retain moisture and promote proper healing. It painlessly removes dead tissue from the wound bed, speeding up the healing process. Hydrogel gels and pastes are also great at reducing the risk of infection from chronic or dry wounds. These products help cool down the wound and provide short-term pain relief, especially when treating burns. Hydrogel dressings should not be changed more often than every four days to prevent the gauze or bandage from sticking to the wound.

Prior to applying a wound gel and bandage, an antimicrobial cleanser should be used. These topical antiseptics help reduce the risk of infection during first aid, wound care, and urological procedures. Antiseptic Skin Cleansers come in a variety of formats, such as prep pads, swabsticks, and liquid solutions. We carry several skin cleanser formulas, including benzalkonium chloride, povidone iodine, and alcohol-based solutions.