Dressings, NPWT, gloves and masks — chosen by the wound, not the brochure
A plain-spoken buyer's reference for caregivers stocking a home setup and clinics outfitting a treatment room. We frame the real decisions — wound type, exudate level, sterile vs. clean technique — and tell you when to stop reading and call a clinician.
Wound Care & ConsumablesStart with the wound, then the product
Most people shop for dressings by name. That's backwards. The dressing follows the wound: how much it weeps (exudate), whether it's open or closed, infected or clean, shallow or cavernous. Get those four reads right and the product almost picks itself.
The high-level principle behind nearly every modern dressing is moist wound healing — the evidence has been clear for decades that a wound kept at the right moisture balance epithelializes faster and with less pain than one left to dry and scab. "Right" is the catch: too dry and the tissue desiccates; too wet and the surrounding skin macerates and breaks down. The dressing's job is to hold that balance, which is why exudate level — not wound size — is the first thing the guides below ask you to assess.
This hub is informational. It will not replace the judgment of a wound-care nurse, a physician, or a wound clinic — and for anything that looks infected, isn't healing, or sits on a diabetic foot, that judgment is the product you actually need.
The four decisions, one guide each
Each guide stays in its lane: what the category is for, the trade-offs that actually matter, and the line where home care ends and a clinician begins.
Advanced dressings by wound type
Foams, hydrocolloids, alginates, hydrogels and films — matched to exudate level and wound depth. Why a heavily weeping wound and a dry one need opposite dressings, and how to read the change-out signals.
Match a dressing to a woundNegative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)
What a wound vac does, the difference between disposable single-use units and rentable pumps, and the honest answer on cost. NPWT is clinician-directed — we cover what to expect, not how to self-prescribe it.
Understand NPWTGloves: nitrile, latex and vinyl
Exam vs. sterile, the latex-allergy reality, why nitrile became the default, and the mil-thickness and sizing details that decide whether a box is worth its price. Where the cheaper glove is genuinely the right call.
Choose a gloveMasks and respiratory protection
Procedure masks vs. surgical vs. N95/respirators — what each actually protects against, when a fit-test matters, and how to right-size a clinic's stock without over-buying the high-filtration tier for every room.
Compare masksHow to read a wound before you buy
A quick triage you can run on any wound. It tells you which guide above to open — and, just as often, that it's time to escalate.
1. Gauge the exudate
Dry, light, moderate or heavy? Heavy weep wants an absorbent foam or alginate; a dry bed wants a hydrogel to add moisture. This single read narrows the dressing aisle more than anything else.
2. Decide sterile vs. clean
An open surgical or acute wound usually calls for sterile technique and sterile supplies. A stable, granulating chronic wound is often managed with clean technique at home. When in doubt, default to the stricter standard.
3. Check for infection signs
Spreading redness, warmth, odor, increasing pain, or fever are stop signs. No dressing treats an infection — these are reasons to call a clinician the same day, not to buy a stronger product.
4. Set a stocking level
Estimate change frequency × days between resupply, then add a modest buffer. Over-stocking ties up cash and risks expiry on sterile goods; under-stocking forces last-minute substitutions. We size this honestly in each guide.
When to close the buyer's guide and call a clinician
This reference is built to make you a confident, informed buyer — not a stand-in for clinical care. Escalate to a wound-care nurse, physician, or wound clinic when a wound isn't measurably improving in about two weeks, when there are signs of infection, when it sits on a diabetic foot or over a pressure point, or when exudate, odor, or pain is climbing rather than settling.
Good supplies support a care plan. They don't replace one — and the most expensive mistake in wound care is treating a clinical problem as a shopping problem.
Frequently asked questions
Sterile or clean technique — which do I need at home?
It depends on the wound, not the setting. Acute, open, or surgical wounds generally call for sterile supplies and technique. Stable chronic wounds are frequently managed with clean technique at home. Your discharge instructions or wound-care nurse should specify; when nothing says otherwise, use the stricter sterile standard.
Is a more expensive dressing always better?
No. The right dressing matches the wound's exudate and depth — a premium foam on a dry, lightly-weeping wound can over-dry it and slow healing. We name the cases where a simpler, cheaper dressing is the correct clinical choice, not a compromise.
Do I need a wound vac (NPWT) for a slow-healing wound?
NPWT is a clinician-directed therapy for specific wound types — it isn't a self-service upgrade. Our NPWT guide explains what it does and what to expect, but the decision to start it belongs to your care team, not a buyer's guide.
Nitrile, latex, or vinyl gloves — does it matter?
It does. Nitrile is the common default for its puncture resistance and lack of latex allergens; latex offers excellent fit and tactile feel but carries allergy risk; vinyl is economical for low-risk, short-duration tasks. The glove guide maps each to the job it's actually right for.
How much should I keep on hand?
Estimate how often you change the dressing, multiply by your days between resupply, and add a small buffer. Sterile goods expire, so over-buying isn't free. Each guide gives a realistic stocking range instead of a one-size number.
Not sure which guide fits your situation?
Tell us the wound type, the setting, and who's doing the dressing changes. We'll point you to the right reference — and flag plainly if it's a question for a clinician rather than a catalog.