Dressings, Bandages & Foam Dressings.

How to choose the right dressing

The difference between gauze and a foam dressing is significant. To avoid hassle and waste, it’s important to know which material is best suited for your specific work environment.

Foam dressings (Soft Foam & Snøgg) – What are they?

These are the modern replacements for both plasters and gauze. They are made of a soft, elastic foam material that is self‑adhesive (cohesive). This means they stick to themselves, but not to skin, hair or wounds.

• Advantages: Water‑resistant, stays in place even when working with oily hands, and leaves no adhesive residue. Thanks to its flexibility, it’s ideal for fingertips and knuckles.
• Blue for food handling: In restaurants and the food industry, blue foam dressings are the standard (e.g. Cederroth Soft Foam Blue). They are highly visible and often metal detectable.
• Beige for office/workshop: A more discreet option for everyday use.

Elastic bandages & fixation

When you need to secure a dressing or support a sprained joint, a foam dressing alone is not sufficient. In these cases, a bandage is required.

• Elastic bandage: Primarily used for support and compression in sprains (e.g. ankles or wrists). Provides firm pressure to help reduce swelling.
• Gauze bandage / fixation bandage: A thin, breathable bandage that provides no support and is used solely to hold a dressing in place. It is non‑elastic and allows the wound to breathe.

Self‑adhesive bandages (Cohesive)

A cohesive bandage works like a hybrid between tape and a bandage. It sticks to itself when wrapped with overlap, eliminating the need for clips or tape to secure the end. This makes it very popular in healthcare and sports for quick wound care.

Don’t forget wound cleansing

Before applying any dressing, it is critical that the wound is clean. Dirt trapped under a bandage greatly increases the risk of infection. Make sure you have wound cleansing and disinfection available before you start bandaging.