Smith & Nephew Melolin Dressing (5cmx5cm)

Smith & Nephew Melolin Dressing (5cmx5cm) is a sterile, low-adherent absorbent dressing pad. Like the larger Melolin sizes, each pad has a smooth, finely perforated plastic film facing on both sides of an absorbent viscose/cellulose core, so fluid can pass into the pad while the film surface itself has a low-adherent quality. It is a medical device rather than a medicine and contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient.

The compact 5cmx5cm size is the smallest in the Melolin pad range. It is typically supplied as individually wrapped sterile pads in a box of several units, and, as with all Melolin dressings, is not self-adhesive and needs a separate tape or bandage to hold it in place.

The low-adherent facing on Melolin works through fine perforations in a smooth plastic film, which let fluid move through into the absorbent pad behind it, while the film surface itself does not bond readily to skin or tissue it rests against. This physical construction differs from plain gauze, which has an open weave.

The 5cmx5cm size uses the same low-adherent, absorbent construction as the larger Melolin sizes, with the absorbent core managing a correspondingly smaller pad area.

Wash and dry your hands before handling the dressing. Clean the small wound as advised, then open the sterile pack and remove the pad without touching the surface that will face the wound. Place it directly over the wound and secure it with a small piece of adhesive tape or a plaster/bandage, as the pad itself is not self-adhesive.

Because 5cmx5cm pads are often used on small, high-movement areas such as fingers or knees, check that the tape or bandage used to secure it is not applied so tightly that it restricts movement or circulation, and change the dressing daily or sooner if it becomes wet, soiled, or loose.

Not applicable — this is not a medicine and has no dose. Use one pad per small wound, choosing a size that covers the wound with a small margin of healthy skin around it.

Shelf life varies by manufacturing batch and is printed as an expiry date on the individual pack and outer carton. Do not use the pad if the expiry date has passed or if the sterile seal is broken, torn, or damaged.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture, at room temperature, in the original unopened packaging until ready to use. Keep out of reach of children. Each pad is for single use only and must be discarded after opening even if not fully used.

• Common: mild, temporary skin irritation or redness where adhesive tape is used to secure the small pad.
• Common: not applicable to the Melolin pad material itself, as it contains no active ingredient.
• Serious: a spreading rash, increasing itching, or swelling around the dressing site should be assessed by a doctor or pharmacist, as this may suggest sensitivity to the adhesive rather than the pad itself.

• Do not use on individuals with a known allergy or sensitivity to any component of the dressing or its securing tape.
• Not intended for deep, heavily bleeding, badly infected, or non-healing wounds without prior assessment by a doctor or pharmacist.
• Do not reuse a pad once opened or applied, even if it looks clean, as sterility cannot be guaranteed after first use.
• Seek medical advice if a small wound shows signs of infection, such as increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or fever.

• Not applicable — this is not a medicine.

• Keep a few 5cmx5cm Melolin pads in your home or travel first aid kit.
• Handle the pad only by its edges to keep the centre surface clean and sterile.
• Pair it with a small strip of tape or a plaster border, since the pad is not self-adhesive.
• Avoid taping too tightly around fingers or toes — check the tip colour and sensation after applying.
• Change the dressing daily, or sooner if it becomes wet, dirty, or starts to lift.
• Discard any pad from a pack whose seal appears damaged, even if unopened.

Precautions: This is a medical device, not a medicine, and contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient. Always check that the sterile pack is intact before use, and do not use it if the seal is broken, torn, or damaged. Any concern that is deep, spreading, unusually painful, or not improving after a few days should be checked by a doctor or pharmacist.

When to See a Doctor or Pharmacist: Seek professional advice if bleeding continues after light pressure, if signs such as increasing redness, warmth, pus, or fever develop, if the injury results from a puncture or an animal or human bite, if tetanus vaccination status is uncertain, or if irritation or a rash spreads beyond the edges of the dressing, which may indicate an allergic reaction to the adhesive.