You open a box of dressings and realize the pads are smaller than the ones you brought home from the clinic. Or you're halfway through a dressing change when you notice there's almost no tape left on the roll.
Small surprises like these can make wound care at home harder than it needs to be. If you're new to it, you may also be sorting out unfamiliar product names and trying to remember what the nurse showed you during a busy appointment.
Here are five common mistakes to watch for, along with ways to choose and manage your wound care supplies in Canada. You'll also find answers to questions about minor cuts and scrapes. If a healthcare professional is treating your wound, follow the instructions they gave you.
Ordering a dressing without checking the label
A wound dressing is the pad or covering placed over a wound. Two boxes from the same brand can look almost identical but contain different products. Check the label each time you order, even if the packaging looks familiar.
Keep an empty wrapper or take a photo of the label before throwing it away. When it's time to reorder, match these details:
- The full product name, including any words after the main name.
- The size and units of measurement, which may be centimetres, inches or both.
- The product code, usually a combination of letters or numbers and sometimes marked “REF”.
Share the label or photo with anyone shopping for you. It gives them more to go on than "the white pads in the blue box".
Names such as gauze, foam and silicone describe a dressing's material or features. Non-adherent means non-stick. These terms can help you find the product you've been told to use, but the name alone won't tell you whether it's right for your wound.
Working in an uncomfortable spot
Keeping supplies in the bathroom doesn't mean you have to stand at the sink to change a dressing. A clean table, good lighting and a comfortable chair may make the task easier.
Before you start, gather everything listed in your care instructions, then wash and dry your hands. Keep dressings in their wrappers until you need them. Place the tape and other supplies within easy reach so you don't have to stretch across the table.
If one step is difficult, bring it up at your next appointment. Maybe you can't grip a packet or reach a wound on your leg. Try that step while the nurse watches so they can see where you're having trouble. This can be more useful than watching the whole demonstration again.
If a family member helps, agree on one place to keep the supplies and current instructions. They should be able to find what they need without asking you where everything is.
Using the old routine with a new product
A new dressing may need a different routine. If you changed the previous one every morning, don't assume the replacement needs changing just as often. A family member who missed your appointment may also be following instructions that are no longer current.
Whenever your product changes, ask when to change it, whether it needs tape or another covering, and what to do if it gets wet, dirty or loose. Ask about showering, too, before trying to work around the dressing yourself.
Write the answers on a dated sheet and keep it with your supplies. Set the old notes aside so everyone knows which instructions to follow.
If you're still unsure, ask a specific question: "Do I change this tomorrow morning, or leave it until you see me again?" That makes it easier to get a clear answer.
Some names in the advanced wound care collection may be unfamiliar. Start with the product on your care list. You don't need to learn every category before placing an order.
Pulling harder when a dressing or tape sticks
Is the pad sticking to the wound, or is the tape pulling at the skin around it? Tell your nurse which part hurts so they can help you adjust the removal method or review the product.
Skin is your body's largest organ and helps protect it from infection. As HealthLink BC explains, removing tape or bandages can damage healing skin or tear thin skin, weakening that protection. If something sticks, avoid forcing it off. Ask your nurse to show you how to remove it and what to do when it won't come away easily.
Adhesive removers, found among Payless Medical's general wound care supplies, help loosen the bond between tape and skin. They can make removal more comfortable and reduce the risk of stripping the skin, especially for older adults, people with fragile skin and those with chronic wounds. A review of patients' experiences describes the pain and skin damage medical adhesives can cause, reinforcing the need for gentle removal. [1] Ask whether a remover is suitable for you, then follow its directions. These products loosen adhesive; they aren't wound cleansers.
Anyone who helps with dressing changes should learn the removal method with you, especially if you both struggle with the same step.
Waiting until supplies run out to reorder
Check your cupboard before filling your cart. Count everything you use during a dressing change, including tape and other items that are easy to overlook when you're focused on the dressings.
Check the package quantity, too. A listing may be for one item, a box or a case, so compare the product, size and quantity together. Your last order can help you find the same listing. If your care plan will be reviewed soon, ask how much to buy until then so you don't end up with supplies you no longer need.
If you live in a rural area or a smaller Canadian community, check the delivery estimate for your postal code. Leave enough time for shipping instead of waiting until you're down to the last dressing.
Payless Medical carries wound care products from Hollister, Coloplast, Convatec, 3M, BSN, Mölnlycke, PolyMem and Smith & Nephew. Keep your saved label or written list beside you as you browse the wound care collection. If the recommended item is unavailable or costs more than you can manage, ask your nurse about an alternative before switching products.
When your order arrives, check it before opening individual packets. Keep the identifying labels, follow the storage instructions and use products with the earliest expiry dates first.
For more advice on everyday care, read our five simple wound care tips to help prevent complications at home.
Frequently asked questions
What helps a wound heal fast?
For a minor cut or scrape, clean gently and protect the area from dirt and rubbing. Follow your care instructions rather than adding products to try to speed up healing. If redness, warmth, swelling or pain increases, or you notice pus, get medical advice. Don't just change the dressing and wait. Recognizing infection early and treating it promptly can help prevent complications, as international wound infection guidance explains. [2]
What are the five rules of wound care?
For minor cuts and scrapes, remember to wash your hands, clean gently, protect the wound as needed, change the dressing as directed and watch for infection. These are basic reminders. Surgical wounds and wounds that aren't healing need their own care instructions.
What are the 7 steps for caring for a wound?
For a small cut or scrape, the following steps cover the basics. Cleaning gently, protecting the wound and keeping it suitably moist are principles described by Lalonde and colleagues. [3]
- Wash your hands.
- Stop the bleeding with steady, direct pressure.
- Rinse away dirt and debris with clean tap water or a wound cleanser recommended for your wound. The flow should loosen debris without damaging the tissue. [4]
- Check for any dirt left behind. Get help if you can't remove it easily.
- Use a suitable dressing to protect the wound and keep it suitably moist, following the advice you've been given. [3]
- Change the dressing as directed, including when it gets wet or dirty.
- Watch for increasing pain, redness, swelling, warmth or pus.
These steps are for minor injuries. A deep or gaping wound, or bleeding that won't stop with pressure, needs urgent care. Get medical advice for bites, too.
If your healthcare professional recommends a wound cleanser, options include Prontosan Wound Irrigation Solution by B. Braun and Vashe Wound Solution by Urgo Medical. The right choice depends on your wound and care plan. Use the product recommended for you and follow its instructions. [7, 8]
What medicines are recommended for wound healing?
There isn't one medicine that every wound needs. The Canadian Pharmacists Association advises that minor cuts don't need antibiotic creams or ointments unless there is an infection. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before choosing a medicated product, and follow the directions for any prescribed medicine.
What should you never put on an open wound?
For routine cleaning of minor cuts, avoid rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and iodine unless your healthcare professional has told you to use them. The body makes small amounts of hydrogen peroxide as part of healing and inflammation control, but too much can damage tissue, prolong inflammation and slow healing. This doesn't make household hydrogen peroxide a good choice for cleaning a wound. [5] Avoid household remedies and products that aren't intended for wound care.
What ointment makes wounds heal faster?
No ointment makes every wound heal faster. For some minor cuts, plain petroleum jelly can help keep a dressing from sticking, but it isn't an antibiotic. Check before using it on a wound being treated by a healthcare professional. If you have skin glue, avoid ointments, creams and lotions over it unless advised otherwise. MyHealth Alberta notes that these can loosen the glue too soon.
Vashe Wound Solution is a hypochlorous acid cleanser, rather than an ointment or gel. A small study followed 31 patients, most with chronic leg ulcers, who used Vashe alongside standard wound care. By the end, 86% of lesions had healed. Wounds that hadn't healed had shrunk by an average of 47%, and pain and odour had also improved. Everyone received other wound care and there was no comparison group, so the study can't show how much of the improvement came from Vashe alone or predict how it will work for someone else. [6]
Where can I buy wound care supplies online in Canada?
You can order wound dressings, medical tape, bandages and adhesive removers from Payless Medical online in Canada. Before ordering, check that the product, size and package quantity match what you've been advised to use.
These answers cover general questions and minor injuries. Follow the instructions your healthcare professional gave you, and ask for advice if you're unsure whether your wound can be cared for at home.
References
1. Hofman H, Duljic T, Johansson S, et al. Patients’ experiences with the application of medical adhesives to the skin: a qualitative systematic review. BMJ Open. 2024;14:e089773.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-089773
2. Wound infection in clinical practice. An international consensus. International Wound Journal. 2008;5(Suppl 3):iii–11.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-481X.2008.00488.x
3. Lalonde D, Joukhadar N, Janis J. Simple Effective Ways to Care for Skin Wounds and Incisions. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2019;7(10):e2471. See also the published corrections.
https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002471
4. Wounds Canada. Cuts and scrapes. Wound Care Canada. Summer 2018;16(1):30–33.
5. Zhu G, Wang Q, Lu S, Niu Y. Hydrogen Peroxide: A Potential Wound Therapeutic Target? Medical Principles and Practice. 2017;26(4):301–308.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000475501
6. Niezgoda JA, Sordi PJ, Hermans MHE. Evaluation of Vashe Wound Therapy in the clinical management of patients with chronic wounds. Advances in Skin & Wound Care. 2010;23(8):352–357.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASW.0000383198.35815.a2
7. B. Braun Canada. Prontosan Irrigation Solution. Product information.
https://catalogs.bbraun.ca/en-CA/p/PRID00001922/prontosan-irrigation-solution
8. Urgo Medical. Vashe Wound Solution. Product information.