Silverlon Wound Contact Dressing — Pure Metallic Silver, Non-Adherent, Up to 7-Day Wear, 4 Sizes

Pure metallic silver. Continuous ion release. Proven against MRSA, Pseudomonas, and E. coli. Silverlon Wound Contact Dressings are sterile, non-adherent antimicrobial barrier dressings built on a pure nylon base fiber uniformly coated with a thin layer of pure metallic silver — not silver compounds, not silver-impregnated foam, but 100% circumferential metallic silver plating that continuously releases active silver ions in the presence of moisture. The result is broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection at the wound surface and up to 4mm into surrounding tissue, sustained for up to 7 days per application. Non-adherent construction minimizes pain and trauma at dressing changes. Backed by multiple peer-reviewed clinical studies including Harvard-affiliated research on total hip and knee arthroplasty, cardiac surgery, colon and rectal surgery, and chronic wound management.

✔ Pure Metallic Silver Plating — Not a Compound, Not Impregnated    ✔ Kills MRSA, Pseudomonas & E. coli    ✔ Up to 7-Day Continuous Antimicrobial Action    ✔ Non-Adherent — Low-Pain Dressing Changes    ✔ 4 Sizes — Small Wounds to Large Coverage Areas

Product Details & Available Sizes

Indicated For — Wound Types

• Partial and full thickness wounds
• Pressure ulcers / pressure injuries — Stage I through IV
• Venous leg ulcers
• Arterial ulcers
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• First and second degree burns
• Surgical wounds — incisions, donor sites, graft sites
• Traumatic wounds — lacerations, abrasions
• Vascular access / peripheral IV sites
• Wound drain sites
• Orthopedic external pin sites
• Infected wounds — antimicrobial barrier helps manage and reduce infection
• Painful wounds — non-adherent contact layer reduces pain at dressing changes

Contraindications: Not for use on 3rd degree burns or patients with known sensitivity to silver or nylon.

How Silverlon Works — Pure Metallic Silver Technology

Most silver dressings on the market use silver compounds — silver sulfadiazine, silver chloride, nano-crystalline silver — that release silver through chemical breakdown. Silverlon uses a fundamentally different approach: a pure nylon fabric base where every fiber is uniformly and circumferentially plated with pure metallic silver approximately 4/100,000 of an inch thick. When the dressing is moistened and placed in contact with the wound, silver ions dissociate directly from the metallic surface into the wound environment. Ion release is continuous and self-sustaining as long as moisture is maintained — there is no reservoir to exhaust and no compound to degrade. This mechanism delivers active silver ions directly to the wound surface and into the surrounding tissue without relying on chemical breakdown products.

Silver ions kill microorganisms through a three-mechanism cascade:

• Silver ions bind to cell wall receptors, blocking cellular respiration — the cell can no longer take in nutrients needed to survive
• Without cellular respiration, the organism rapidly loses viability
• Silver ions penetrate the cell wall and disrupt DNA replication, eliminating reproduction — resistance development is extremely difficult against this multi-target mechanism

The result is broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage — MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, and fungi — that is maintained continuously for up to 7 days at a single application. The dressing's conductive silver surface also reestablishes the normal bioelectric potential at the wound surface, which research suggests supports the wound's own healing process independent of the antimicrobial effect.

• Pure metallic silver — not a compound, not impregnated — continuous ion release mechanism
• Antimicrobial coverage at the wound surface and 2–4mm into surrounding peri-wound tissue
• Kills MRSA, Pseudomonas, E. coli, fungi — proven in laboratory and clinical settings
• Highly conductive silver surface reestablishes normal skin electrical potentials
• Non-adherent knitted fabric structure — flexible, conformable, low-trauma removal
• Up to 7-day wear reduces dressing change frequency and associated pain and cost
• Compatible with any secondary dressing — absorptive for wet wounds, moisture-donating for dry wounds
• 510(k) FDA Cleared — used by the U.S. Army for burn and blast injuries in combat settings

Choosing the Right Size

• WCD-22 — 2" x 2" — Smallest size; ideal for small wounds, vascular access sites, pin sites, and IV catheter sites where a compact coverage area is needed
• WCD-44 — 4" x 4½" — Standard size; the most versatile choice for typical pressure ulcers, surgical incisions, leg ulcers, and general wound management — the most commonly used size
• WCD-412 — 4" x 12" — Extended length; ideal for elongated wounds, surgical incisions along joint lines, saphenous vein harvest sites, and wounds requiring coverage along a limb
• WCD-1012 — 10" x 12" — Largest size; designed for wide-surface wounds, extensive burns, large donor or graft sites, and situations where broad antimicrobial coverage is needed across a large area

Silverlon sizing protocol: select a dressing that overlaps wound margins by 1–2 cm on all sides.

Not sure which size is right? Call 1-866-218-0902 — Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm EST

Application Instructions

1. Cleanse wound with sterile water, distilled water, or normal saline per local protocol — remove necrotic debris or eschar as needed
2. Thoroughly moisten the Silverlon dressing with sterile water, distilled water, or normal saline to activate silver ion release
3. Position the dressing directly over the wound with either silver side in contact with the wound surface — overlap wound margins by 1–2 cm
4. Secure with a secondary dressing appropriate to wound drainage level
5. For exudating wounds: use an absorbent secondary dressing
6. For dry wounds: use a moisture-donating secondary such as hydrocolloid or pre-moistened foam or gauze
7. Periodically check dressing edges to confirm the dressing remains moist — re-moisten edges if needed to maintain silver ion release
8. Dressing may remain in place up to 7 days; change more frequently if wound drainage or clinical condition requires
9. To remove: lift outer secondary dressing first, then gently depress surrounding skin while lifting Silverlon dressing edges — if adherence occurs, moisten with saline until dressing lifts cleanly

Note: Avoid petroleum-based ointments or creams under Silverlon dressings — these can inhibit silver ion release.

Clinical Evidence

Silverlon is one of the most clinically studied silver dressings in wound care, with peer-reviewed research published across multiple surgical and wound care specialties:

• Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty — Harvard-affiliated study demonstrated decreased postoperative infection rates with silver nylon dressings
• Colon and Rectal Surgery — Reduced surgical site infection rates in colorectal procedures
• Cardiac Sternotomy — Clinical trial showed reduction in mediastinitis rates following open cardiac surgery
• Spinal Surgery — Reduced infection rates after lumbar laminectomy with instrumented fusion
• Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) — Innovative use to decrease driveline site infections
• Saphenous Vein Harvest Sites — Healing of chronic, ischemic infected wounds using silver-plated cloth

Silverlon is also the silver wound dressing of choice for the U.S. Army — selected for burn and blast injury management in combat and austere environments.

Why Buy From Medical Department Store?

• 30+ years serving home medical and wound care customers — A+ BBB Rated
• 110% Low Price Guarantee — we beat any competitor
• Medical supply specialists on the phone, not a call center
• Ships to all 50 states — 5 Southwest Florida locations for local pickup

Questions about Silverlon or any of our antimicrobial wound dressings? Call 1-866-218-0902 — our team is ready to help.