DuoDERM Control Gel Formula 4"x4" Hydrocolloid Sterile Adhesive Dressing for Partial and Full-Thickness Wounds, Medical Grade, Latex-Free, Waterproof, Square, Beige, 5ct Box

I swear, this dressing heals wounds better than any amazing doctor! For any skin injury, you absolutely have to use this. It keeps the wound protected, promotes healing, and really works like magic. I can’t imagine handling scrapes or cuts without it!

This product is a godsend for those of us who develop venous stasis ulcers due to CVI. I was diagnosed with CVI (Chronic Venous Insufficiency) a year ago but I've been struggling with some of the more troublesome side effects of that condition for several years: venous stasis ulcers, usually much worse in the summer. CVI usually affects the lower legs - the valves in the veins stop working, and blood pools in the calf and ankle. The tissue eventually breaks down, and ulcers develop on the surface. Some folks like me get it in both legs; others in just one. Last year's episode resulted in cellulitis, and 6 weeks of treatment at the wound healing center. I vowed never to go down that path again and followed the Dr's recommendations as to ongoing care (compression knee-highs, etc.). Despite my best efforts (100% compliance/etc.), I again developed a rather impressive set of large ulcers this summer involving both legs. DuoDerm was recommended by a friend in a CVI support group, so I decided to give it a try before calling the center. Applied the patches, cutting to fit where needed, left them in place for 3 days, then removed them after a shower. Unbelievable!! Ulcers were about 80% healed. There were a few nickel-sized raw/weepy spots left, but everything else was fresh clear pink healthy skin. I had been nursing these ulcers along for 6 weeks using bandages and antiseptic sprays with no discernable effect, and in 3 days, DuoDerm had nearly obliterated them. I'm absolutely sold on this product. Seriously, it far exceeded my expectations. I was anticipating maybe some slight improvement, but this was nearly miraculous. So, based on my experience, here are a few tips: 1) DO NOT use these as a "change every day"-type dressing. That's not what it's designed for. You need to leave the patch(es) in place for AT LEAST 2-3 days -- instructions say you can leave them in place for up to a week. I changed mine at 3 days only because my ulcers were really "weepy," and .. well ... I could tell by the looks of things that the dressings needed to be changed. They absorb fluid and can hold only so much. So don't slap one of these on and try to change it the next day -- the glue is REALLY sticky and it will likely cause some problems. If you leave it alone until it's ready to come off, it should come off nearly painlessly, with only slight "tug" of the skin around the wound. 2) Don't be surprised if the wound starts to itch -- a LOT. I didn't notice any itching *around* the ulcers, but the ulcers themselves tingled and itched. That's the dressing doing it's thing. It was even more noticeable on the second application since there was a lot of new skin in the area and the wound itself was shallower than before. It REALLY itched ... a lot. I have some problems with adhesives and allergies (I get hives/rash/blisters from most Band-Aid products, for example), and this is NOT like that. It's not the skin around the ulcers that is itching so much as the ulcers themselves. Just be prepared. 3) As always, SEE YOUR DOCTOR if anything comes up that seems or feels out of whack. I was concerned about the itching but found out that it's a fairly common "side effect." But any redness, rash, etc. should be seen by a doctor ASAP. These don't have latex in them, but you might still have some problems with the adhesive. Bottom line: I'm keeping these on hand from now on as a first line of defense against venous stasis ulcers. The price here on Amazon varies from seller to seller, so definitely "shop around" -- I look for "fulfilled by Amazon" to get the best service, even if I have to pay a few cents more per patch.

These are the best way to heal any open sore or wound. They are the only one that I would use after skin cancer treatments or biopsies that leave an open wound, on pressure sores, or any draining wound (clear fluid with a yellowish hue that drains out of the wound site), I will typically have a 1 inch open wound that will take about 3 months or so to heal (leg) but with these it takes less than 2 months. Roughly, it cuts healing time by 30-50%. While they cost more than regular bandages, you only need one of these a week and so they cost the same or little less than regular large bandages, especially when you consider that the healing time is cut down by almost half. Buy a size that will give you about an inch edge outside the wound area. I you have a more superficial, non-draining wound you can cut these into four 2x2 (you should have at least 1/2 inch edge outside the wound for it to stay on well. These seem to stay on better, last longer, are less irritating, less likely to leak, and can be cut up easier than the thin version (I have used both). Use these for at least 5-7 days at a time and you may notice that the bandage gets a little puffy and white over the wound area which is normal. You can take shower with these on. When you take this off, it will seem "icky" but just throw it away, clean up the area around the wound, take a show and let water go over it, and afterwards when dry, apply a new DuoDerm dressing. The reason these work so well is they allow your body to produce the optimal environment for skin healing. I use the Convatec brand as they were the creators of DuoDerm and seem to have the best CGF rather than any of the generics and they were only a little more expensive. At any rate they are well worth the cost. They are a must for any open wound, especially in the elderly or for those on the leg or arm (the further away from the heart, the longer healing time). Can't recommend these highly enough. They are a must for any significant open wound.

I love these! I get pressure sores on my thinly skin backbone. They open up and my dr makes me put these on it until they heal. Its wonderful. They can get itchy but they're really a God-send. Im so thankful for this product. Great job makers of Duoderm patches! Don't ever discontinue these! People like ne really need them.

Works well

As advertised and as prescribed by doctor

Very good

This brand of Duoderm is awesome! I have used them for many years to help protect sores I get on my backside and legs when I get a pressure sore. Being a paraplegic, we're prone to pressure sores so these work great to help the healing process. They stick well to your skin- just be sure and clean the area well, then wipe with Skin Prep first. The skin prep adds a coating that helps the Duoderm stick better. You can wear them for several days as long as they adhere. You can wear them into the shower, swimming, bathing also. They help the healing process. Old skin will sluff off and looks/may smell gross but it leaves the new skin in place. It's amazing how you stick something sticky to your leg but it won't damage the new skin that covers the wound. DuoDerm is a hydrocolloid dressing used to treat bed sores and other pressure sores or ulcers. They have gel-like properties to absorb excretions from the wound and protect the wound debris and potentially infection causing bacteria. The Hydrocolloid dressings help the wound to debride itself (the body uses its own enzymes to break down dead tissue as opposed to surgically removing it).They are impermeable to water vapor, oxygen and bacteria. The dressings are so popular because they will not stick to the wound bed itself and can be removed without tearing the granulation tissue underneath. They are best applied to wounds that produce light to medium exudate or transudate (extravascular fluid with low protein content, a low specific gravity and low nucleated cell counts). Depending on your doctors orders, you can use Duoderm on stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 bed sores. The length of time a DuoDerm patch may be left on a wound is determined by the amount of moisture in the wound. Under normal conditions, DuoDerm can be left on the wound for 3-4 days. One of the advantages to using DuoDerm is that, unlike other dressings, it can be placed on wet wounds and wet surrounding skin and will remain in place due to the product’s ‘wet tact’. Because DuoDerm essentially creates a moisture barrier, they should not be used on people with infected bed sores. Under normal circumstances, wounds covered with DuoDerm are likely to develop a strong odor after several days. The odor is consider to be a normal part of of the product.