What Is an Island Dressing?
A sterile pad inside an adhesive border. What island dressings are used for, how the sizes work, and how to apply one.
Reviewed by Inspiration Medical Technology, Inc. All articles are reviewed for accuracy and brand-voice compliance by the team behind AllaQuix®. Not a substitute for medical advice from your doctor.
What an island dressing is
Picture a gauze pad already taped down on all four sides. That's an island dressing. The pad sits over the wound, and the adhesive border sticks only to the healthy skin around it, so nothing sticky touches the wound itself.
Island dressings are sterile and individually wrapped, and they come in far more sizes than a household bandage, from about 2 inches square to more than a foot long. That's why hospitals, surgery centers and home health nurses use them for incisions and wounds that need a clean, secure cover.
The three parts
- The island: an absorbent pad. On AllaQuix® Basic it's a non-adherent pad that won't stick to the wound.
- The border: a strip of adhesive, usually about 1 inch wide, that holds the dressing on healthy skin.
- The backing: a breathable, flexible non-woven layer that moves with the body.
What island dressings are used for
Island dressings cover and protect a wound while it heals. The AllaQuix® Basic line is designed to protect the wound to allow faster healing.
AllaQuix® Basic island dressings are ideal for
- Incision sites after surgery or a procedure
- IV catheter sites
- Light to moderate draining wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Covering and securing devices and other dressings
An island dressing covers a wound. It doesn't close one. A cut that gapes open or may need stitches should be seen by a clinician.
EVERYDAY SIZES
Sterile island dressings, box or case
A non-adherent pad inside a 1 inch adhesive border. Latex-free and individually wrapped.
ISLAND DRESSING · 4×4
AllaQuix® Basic Island Dressing 4 × 4
A 2×2 inch non-adherent pad inside a 1 inch adhesive border. Sterile, latex-free and breathable. Box of 50 or a case of 12 boxes.
Best for: incision sites, everyday cuts, light to moderate drainage
SMALL ISLAND DRESSING
AllaQuix® Basic Small Island Dressing
A soft non-adherent pad inside a 1 inch adhesive border, sized for small incisions, fingers and IV catheter sites. Sterile and latex-free. Box of 50 or a case of 20 boxes.
Best for: small incisions, IV sites, fingers
Island dressing sizes: dressing size vs. pad size
Island dressings are sold by their outside size, including the border. The absorbent pad inside is smaller, about 1 inch in from each edge. A 4 × 4 island dressing has a 2 × 2 inch pad.
The rule for picking a size: the pad should cover the whole wound, and the border should sit on dry, healthy skin all the way around. Long dressings, such as 4 × 10 or 4 × 14, cover a long incision in one piece instead of overlapping small bandages.
AllaQuix® Basic sizes
- 2⅜ × 2¾ small: ⅜ × ¾ inch pad, for IV sites, fingers and small incisions
- 4 × 4: 2 × 2 inch pad, the everyday size
- 4 × 6: 2 × 4 inch pad, for longer incisions and larger cuts
- 4 × 14: 2 × 12 inch pad, for long incisions such as knee, abdominal and back sites
LONGER SIZES
Island dressings for longer incisions
Cover the whole incision in one piece.
ISLAND DRESSING · 4×6
AllaQuix® Basic Island Dressing 4 × 6
A 2×4 inch pad inside a 1 inch adhesive border, for longer incisions and larger areas. Box of 50 or a case of 12 boxes.
Best for: longer incisions, larger cuts
ISLAND DRESSING · 4×14
AllaQuix® Basic Island Dressing 4 × 14
A 2×12 inch pad that covers a long incision in one piece. Box of 25 or a case of 10 boxes.
Best for: long incisions, abdominal and back sites
How to apply an island dressing
Clean, dry skin is the key to a border that stays put.
The routine
- Wash your hands.
- Clean the wound the way your clinician told you, then pat the skin around it completely dry.
- Open the wrapper without touching the pad.
- Center the pad over the wound and lay the dressing down.
- Smooth the border outward from the center so there are no wrinkles or gaps.
- Don't stretch the dressing to make it reach. Choose a bigger size instead.
How to remove an island dressing, and how often to change it
Most island dressings are changed once a day, and any time they get wet, dirty or loose, unless your clinician gives you a different schedule.
To remove one, support the skin with one hand, lift a corner, and peel low and slow toward the wound rather than away from it. If the pad has stuck to dried drainage, dampen it with clean water or saline first and it will lift away.
Island dressing vs. other dressings
Island dressings aren't the only option. Here's how they compare with what else is in the aisle.
How they compare
- Gauze and tape: the same job in two pieces. Tape can end up close to the wound and the pad can slide.
- Household adhesive bandages: handy for small cuts, but usually not sterile-wrapped and too small for incisions.
- Transparent film: see-through and water-resistant, but it doesn't absorb drainage.
- Foam and silicone-border dressings: for wounds with more drainage or very fragile skin. Ask your care team if you need one.
- Calcium alginate dressings: for wounds that keep oozing. AllaQuix® Lite absorbs up to 20 times its weight.
FAQ
Common questions on this topic
What is an island dressing used for?
Covering incisions, IV catheter sites, cuts and lacerations, and light to moderate draining wounds, plus covering and securing devices and other dressings.
Is an island dressing the same as bordered gauze?
Yes. Island dressing, bordered gauze dressing, adhesive island dressing and adhesive gauze pad all describe a pad inside an adhesive border.
Can you shower with an island dressing on?
Most island dressings, including AllaQuix® Basic, are breathable rather than waterproof. Ask your clinician when you can shower, then put on a fresh dressing if the old one got wet.
How long can you leave an island dressing on?
Usually one day, or until it gets wet, dirty or loose. Some clinicians use a different schedule for incisions, so follow the instructions you were given.
Do island dressings stick to the wound?
The border sticks to skin, and the pad sits over the wound. AllaQuix® Basic uses a non-adherent pad with pain free removal. If drainage dries onto the pad, dampen it before lifting.
Can I cut an island dressing to size?
No. Cutting breaks the sterile pad and the adhesive border. Choose the size that fits instead.
FIND YOUR SIZE
Shop sterile island dressings in four sizes
General wound care education, not medical advice. Always follow your doctor's instructions. Not for emergency, arterial, or severe bleeding.
Dallas, Texas
FDA reviewed and cleared. Nearly one million AllaQuix® sold.