What is the difference between a bandage and a dressing?

A dressing covers a wound; a bandage usually holds a dressing in place or supports an injured area. They do different jobs, though some bandages can also be used as a pad or sling.

What a dressing does

A dressing is the material placed over a wound to protect it or absorb blood. A dressing pad covers a wound, while an adhesive dressing strip is a small wound covering with its own sticky edges.

What a bandage does

A roller bandage can hold a dressing in place or support a sprain or strain. A triangular bandage can be folded into a sling or used as a pad to protect an injury.

For example, a dressing pad covers a cut, and a roller bandage can help keep that pad in place. The quick guide is: choose a dressing to cover the wound, and a bandage to secure it or support the area.

Check your kit

A home kit may contain both wound dressings and bandages because they are useful for different reasons. See what to include in a home first aid kit. If you are checking a workplace kit, the workplace first aid kit checklist can help you review its contents. The common kit examples show how dressing pads, roller bandages and triangular bandages are used.