Smith & Nephew Melolin Low Adherent Absorbent Pads (10cmx10cm)

Smith & Nephew Melolin Low Adherent Absorbent Pads (10cmx10cm) are sterile dressing pads made with a smooth, perforated plastic film facing on both sides of a highly absorbent viscose/cellulose core. The fine perforations in the film allow fluid to pass through into the absorbent core, while the smooth outer surface has a low-adherent quality. This is a medical device, not a medicine, and does not contain any active pharmaceutical ingredient.

The 10cmx10cm size is the larger option in the Melolin pad range. It is typically sold in individually wrapped sterile packs of several pads per box, and, as Melolin pads are not self-adhesive, each pad is intended to be secured in place with a separate adhesive tape, bandage, or fixation dressing.

Melolin’s low-adherent facing works on a simple physical principle: the fine perforations in the smooth plastic film allow fluid to be drawn through into the absorbent viscose layer underneath, while the smooth film surface itself does not bond readily to skin or tissue it rests against. This is a different construction from plain gauze, which has an open weave structure.

Because the absorbent core sits behind the low-adherent film, fluid moves away from the outer surface and is held within the pad rather than remaining on top of the film. The pad is not self-adhesive, so a separate tape, bandage, or fixation dressing is needed to hold it in position.

Wash and dry your hands before handling the dressing. Clean the wound gently as advised by your pharmacist or doctor, then open the sterile pack and remove the pad without touching the surface that will contact the wound. Place the smooth, low-adherent side directly over the wound so it fully covers the injured area, then secure it in place with adhesive tape, a retention bandage, or another fixation dressing, since the pad itself is not self-adhesive.

Change the dressing according to the level of wound discharge and your healthcare provider’s advice — typically once daily or whenever it becomes wet, soiled, or loosened. Use a fresh, unused pad at every change and dispose of the used dressing appropriately.

Not applicable — this is not a medicine and has no dose. Use one pad per wound site, sized to adequately cover the wound with a margin of healthy skin around the edges, and change as needed.

Shelf life varies by manufacturing batch and is printed on the individual pack and outer carton as an expiry date. Do not use the pad if the expiry date has passed or if the sterile pack 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 intended for single use only and must be discarded after opening, even if not fully used.

• Common: mild, temporary skin irritation or redness at the edges where adhesive tape is used to secure the pad.
• Common: not applicable to the Melolin pad material itself, as it contains no active ingredient.
• Serious: an allergic skin reaction (increasing redness, itching, swelling, or a rash spreading beyond the dressing edge) should be assessed by a doctor or pharmacist, as it may indicate sensitivity to the adhesive tape or fixation dressing used rather than the pad itself.

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

• Not applicable — this is not a medicine.

• Always check that the sterile pack is intact and undamaged before opening it.
• Handle the pad by its edges and avoid touching the centre surface.
• Use a separate adhesive tape or retention bandage, since Melolin pads are not self-adhesive.
• Change the dressing whenever it becomes wet, soiled, or starts to lift at the edges.
• Keep a small first aid kit at home with a few different pad sizes, including 10cmx10cm.
• Never cut a sterile pad down to size, as this exposes the previously sterile inner surface.

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, very painful, or not improving after a few days should be assessed by a doctor or pharmacist.

When to See a Doctor or Pharmacist: Seek professional advice if bleeding is heavy and does not stop with light pressure, if there are signs such as increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or fever, if the injury involves a deep puncture or an animal or human bite, if tetanus vaccination status is unclear or incomplete, or if a rash or irritation develops around the dressing that suggests an allergic reaction to the adhesive or dressing materials.