Wound dressing know-how – Get clued up on treating the most frequent minor injuries

Have you never been a great fan of dressing wounds because you have sensitive skin? Then you might want to choose a plaster from the extra skin-friendly Ultra Sensitive range. This range comes in different sizes, and its plasters are painless to remove while sticking securely to the wound when worn.

Scrapes or abrasions that cover a large area of skin should be covered so that they can heal off better. The Elastoplast Aqua Protect XL/XXL/3XL/4XL plasters are 100% waterproof and ideal for showering, washing and bathing. The Elastoplast Sensitive XL/XXL/3XL/4XL plasters offer extra skin-friendly wound coverage as well as soft and breathable material along with their large size.

If you’ve suffered a cut or a scratch (see instant help for cuts and grazes), the first thing to do is to clean the wound, i.e. with Elastoplast Wound Spray and make sure that debris or small objects are removed.

If the wound bleeds, as is sometimes the case with cuts on the face or on a finger, start treating the wound by stopping the bleeding. To do so, apply pressure with a sterile bandage (i.e. Elastoplast Soft Compress).

Depending on where your wound is located, choose a matching wound dressing. For example, minor wounds on the face can be covered discreetly with small Elastoplast Universal Spot Plasters. A larger scratched area, such as on the knee, will need a strong plaster, such as those from the Elastoplast Universal or Elastic ranges.

Suffering from a blister? If it appears in an area where it might get rubbed, such as on your hand or on the heel, you should definitely protect the blister from further friction as soon as possible with a Elastoplast Blister Plaster. 

It will not only cushion the blister, but immediately relieve pressure and pain (see also: Instant Help Blisters in our Relief and Care section). On broken blisters, you can also apply a Blister Plaster as it will provide ideal healing conditions."

"Usually, our plasters, such as those from the Universal or Elastic ranges, are available in different strip sizes or as a dressing length (which can be cut to the desired size), providing the right coverage for your wound. But depending on where your wound is located, there may be better choices, which will offer the ideal shape, size, material or adhesion tailored to your specific needs.

Find your ideal plaster in the Elastoplast range. For example, a Elastoplast Flexible Elastic XL/XXL Plaster provides ideal coverage for larger patches of skin, such as on knees, or movable parts, such as joints, which are exposed to a lot of movement.

For wound dressing on fingers and hands, the Elastoplast Finger Strips and the Hand Mix Pack will keep your minor cuts protected. The Finger Strips cover all types of smaller wounds on your fingers, and the elastic fabric strips are extra-long for a better hold. The Hand Mix Pack includes various shapes for different needs, such as butterfly and H-shaped plasters.

Is your wound located in an area that is particularly difficult to cover with a plaster strip? Then try Elastoplast Spray Plaster for your wound treatment. It offers convenient one-hand application, even in difficult places, and provides a waterproof, transparent, breathable and skin-friendly film for your wound."

When treating a minor burn at home, the first thing you should do is rinse the area with cool, running water for about ten minutes.

Careful: never use butter, grease or powder on a burn. It is a myth that butter will soothe burns!

Then give your wound the ideal coverage: Elastoplast Wound Spray will clean the wound of any bacteria and prevent infections. Afterwards, a thin layer of Elastoplast Wound Healing Ointment will support the healing process. Finally, cover your burn with an appropriate plaster or a sterile compress to protect it from external influences. Note that this only applies to first-degree and minor second-degree burns! See our Burn Instant Help for more information on wound treatment for burns.

Children often fall during sports or playtime, injuring themselves with a graze or a cut. There are child-friendly ways to treat these minor, yet painful injuries, so that accidents are quickly forgotten.

Check out the skin-friendly Elastoplast Kids Plasters with fun designs to collect, such as those from Disney Frozen or Disney Marvel. Our Elastoplast Sensitive Kids Plasters are extra skin-friendly.

Teenagers who hurt themselves while doing sport might prefer the durability of Elastoplast Elastic.

In order to give your family the best wound care possible, you should stock up on plasters in different shapes and sizes. You should also make use of the selection offered in packs such as the Elastoplast Mix Pack, which contains strips especially suited to fit fingertips, knuckles etc. (see also our downloadable list for the perfectly stocked medicine cabinet).

While it can be tricky to put plasters on parts of the body that move around a lot such as fingers, heels, knuckles and knees, it is important to keep any dirt out by covering them.

Try specialised plasters, such as Elastoplast Elastic, which provide durable protection for moveable body parts and allow for a greater range of mobility.

Another method is using a liquid spray bandage, such as Elastoplast Spray Plaster. This convenient and transparent wound protection keeps any dirt and bacteria away. The sprayed-on film is flexible and can be applied even in difficult or hard-to-reach places. It is also waterproof, meaning it can be worn while showering and bathing and only needs to be applied once.