A dressing is a sterile pad applied to a wound to promote healing and protect the wound from further harm. A dressing is designed to be in direct contact with the wound, as distinguished from a bandage, which is most often used to hold a dressing in place. Many modern dressings are self-adhesive.A dressing can have a number of purposes, depending on the type, severity and position of the wound, although all purposes are focused on promoting recovery and protecting from further harm. Key purposes of a dressing are:Stop bleeding,Protection from infection,Absorb exudate,Ease pain,Debride the wound etc.