Ferris PolyMem Non-Adhesive Dressing — Polymeric Membrane, Cleanse-Fill-Absorb-Moisten, 7 Sizes Including Rolls

This is not a foam dressing. PolyMem is a polymeric membrane — a categorically distinct wound care technology that continuously cleanses, fills, absorbs, and moistens the wound simultaneously. No secondary wound cleanser needed. Virtually pain-free removal. Reduces persistent and procedural wound pain. Can replace gauze, foam, hydrogel, hydrocolloid, and transparent film in most wound presentations. The non-adhesive configuration — cut to any size, secure with tape or fixation sheet, use anywhere. Ferris PolyMem Non-Adhesive is the standard, cut-to-size configuration of the PolyMem polymeric membrane dressing line — the optimal format when the wound requires a custom size or shape, when taping is the preferred fixation method, when the dressing will be used under compression or bandaging, or when wound geometry doesn't fit a standard pad size. The hydrophilic polyurethane membrane matrix contains a mild surfactant cleanser, glycerin moisturizer, and superabsorbent starch co-polymer that work continuously from application through removal — adapting to the wound's moisture and debris levels to cleanse, fill cavities, absorb exudate, and maintain the moist environment that supports healing. The semi-permeable polyurethane film backing is breathable, water-resistant, and tough. Available in seven configurations including a 2"×2" spot size, four pad sizes from 3"×3" to 6.5"×7.5", and two roll formats — 4"×12.5" and 4"×24" — for wounds requiring custom length, circumferential application, or large surface area coverage.

✔ Polymeric Membrane Technology — Not a Foam — Cleanse, Fill, Absorb & Moisten    ✔ Built-In Wound Cleanser — Reduces or Eliminates Need for Additional Cleansing    ✔ Glycerin Moisturizer — Virtually Pain-Free Removal    ✔ Reduces Persistent & Procedural Wound Pain    ✔ Cut to Any Size & Shape — Secure with Tape or Fixation Sheet    ✔ Roll Formats — 4"×12.5" & 4"×24" for Custom Length Applications    ✔ 7 Sizes — Primary or Secondary Dressing

Product Details & Available Sizes

Indicated For — Wound Types

• Pressure ulcers — Stage I through Stage IV
• Venous leg ulcers
• Arterial ulcers
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Skin tears — the glycerin moisturizer and atraumatic removal make PolyMem specifically suited for fragile skin
• First and second degree burns
• Donor sites and graft sites
• Surgical wounds — post-operative incisions
• Traumatic wounds — lacerations, abrasions
• Partial and full thickness wounds of any etiology
• Painful wounds — PolyMem's documented pain-modulation mechanism provides both persistent and procedural pain relief
• Wounds requiring autolytic debridement — continuous surfactant release supports debridement without mechanical disruption
• Palliative wounds — NPUAP recommends polymeric membrane dressings for palliative care exudate management, cleansing, and pain relief
• Wounds where secondary cleansing at each dressing change is undesirable or disruptive to healing tissue

PolyMem Is Not a Foam — The Polymeric Membrane Technology

PolyMem Non-Adhesive looks and feels like a foam dressing. It is not. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) classifies polymeric membrane dressings as a distinct category — separate from foam, hydrogel, hydrocolloid, alginate, and all other standard dressing categories — because of what the dressing actively does in the wound rather than what it passively holds or blocks.

The PolyMem matrix contains three active components embedded within the hydrophilic polyurethane structure:

• Mild surfactant wound cleanser: A tissue-friendly surfactant is released continuously into the wound bed when activated by wound moisture. It reduces interfacial tension between devitalized tissue and the wound bed, supporting autolytic debridement without mechanical disruption. Because the dressing cleanses continuously between changes, the wound at each dressing change is cleaner than it would be under a passive foam or hydrogel — and the mechanical wound cleansing step at change can be reduced or eliminated, preventing the disruption of newly forming healing tissue that active cleansing causes.
• Glycerin (glycerol) moisturizer: Glycerin attracts and retains moisture at the wound surface and within the dressing-wound interface — preventing the dressing from drying out and bonding to wound tissue. This is the mechanism behind PolyMem's virtually pain-free removal: the glycerin maintains a moist, non-adherent interface throughout the wear period regardless of how dry the wound environment becomes. Glycerin also draws fresh wound fluid — carrying growth factors and nutrients — to the wound surface, and its hygroscopic properties help manage wound odor.
• Superabsorbent starch co-polymer: The starch co-polymer provides the absorption function — wicking up to 10× the dressing's weight in wound exudate and locking it within the membrane matrix away from the wound surface. The starch co-polymer works with the surfactant to draw bacteria, debris, and proteases upward from the wound bed and lock them in the dressing, physically removing them from the wound environment with each change.

These three components activate selectively based on wound conditions — if the wound is dry, the glycerin retains moisture and the surfactant supports minimal debridement without aggressive action; if the wound is exuding heavily, the starch co-polymer absorbs aggressively; if a cavity is present, the membrane expands to fill it. The dressing adapts to the wound rather than applying the same function regardless of wound state.

• Polymeric membrane — NPUAP-classified category distinct from foam, hydrogel, hydrocolloid
• Three active components — surfactant, glycerin, starch co-polymer — all functional simultaneously
• Continuous cleansing — reduces or eliminates wound cleansing at dressing change
• Glycerin prevents adherence — virtually pain-free removal at every change
• Starch co-polymer absorbs and locks — up to 10× weight in exudate; bacteria and debris removed with dressing
• Adaptive function — responds to wound conditions rather than applying fixed function regardless of need
• Can replace gauze, foam, hydrogel, hydrocolloid, and transparent film in most wound presentations
• Growth factor concentration — moist environment created by glycerin concentrates the body's naturally produced growth factors at the wound bed

Pain Relief — Persistent and Procedural

PolyMem is one of the most clinically documented dressings for wound pain management. Two distinct mechanisms operate simultaneously:

Procedural pain relief — glycerin and non-adherence: The glycerin moisturizer prevents the dressing from bonding to the wound surface at any point in the wear cycle. At dressing change, the membrane lifts away without pulling newly formed tissue, without disrupting epithelializing wound margins, and without the tearing pain that occurs when standard dressings dry and bond to wound beds. Clinical reports consistently describe PolyMem removal as significantly less painful than foam, gauze, or hydrocolloid removal — including in burn and skin tear patients where removal pain is a primary clinical concern.

Persistent pain relief — nociceptor inhibition: Peer-reviewed research using animal models demonstrated that PolyMem's formulation inhibits the nociceptor (pain receptor) response at both the local wound level and centrally in the nervous system — a mechanism unique to polymeric membrane dressings. Patients report reduced between-change wound pain that cannot be explained by non-adherence alone, and this central inhibition mechanism is the explanation. PolyMem is specifically appropriate for painful wound presentations where pain management is a parallel clinical goal alongside wound healing — and for palliative wound care where pain relief may be the primary goal.

The Non-Adhesive Configuration — When to Choose It

PolyMem is available in multiple configurations — non-adhesive (this product), film-adhesive, cloth-adhesive, Max (thicker, 60% more absorbent), and silver-containing Max variants. The non-adhesive is the right choice when:

• Cutting to size is needed: The wound is smaller than a standard pad size, oddly shaped, or requires a precise fit that no standard pad delivers. PolyMem Non-Adhesive can be cut to any shape with sterile scissors — all four-component functionality is retained throughout the cut piece.
• Taping is preferred: The periwound skin condition, the fixation protocol, or the wound location makes tape or a fixation sheet the most appropriate fixation method.
• Use under compression: When the wound will be managed under compression bandaging, the non-adhesive format allows the compression system to provide fixation — and PolyMem's membrane structure maintains function even under compression load.
• Roll format needed: The 4"×12.5" and 4"×24" roll sizes provide long strips for elongated wounds, custom-length applications, circumferential wound wrapping, or cutting multiple smaller pieces from a single sterile unit.
• Secondary dressing use: When PolyMem is used as a secondary over a primary wound filler (alginate, collagen, or wound gel), the non-adhesive format holds the primary in place, adds the polymeric membrane benefits at the wound environment level, and can be secured by any method without compromising the primary layer.

The Roll Formats — What They're For

The 4"×12.5" (5124) and 4"×24" (5244) rolls are unique to the non-adhesive PolyMem line — no equivalent format exists in the adhesive variants. They serve three distinct clinical applications:

• Circumferential wound wrapping: For partial-thickness burns, traumatic wounds, or skin conditions that encircle a limb — the roll can be spirally wrapped around the limb to provide continuous polymeric membrane coverage of the full circumferential surface without gaps or overlapping pad edges.
• Elongated wounds: Surgical incisions, saphenous vein harvest sites, and wounds that run longer than any standard pad can cover can be covered in a single piece cut from the roll — eliminating the need for overlapping multiple pads and the edge management that creates.
• Cutting multiple pieces: One sterile roll can be cut into multiple custom-sized pieces for a single patient's multiple wound sites or for repeated use on a single wound as it changes size and shape during healing — more economical and flexible than purchasing individual pads for each change.

PolyMem Standard vs. PolyMem Max — Choosing the Right Thickness

• PolyMem Non-Adhesive (this product — 5022, 5033, 5044, 5055, 5077, 5124, 5244): Standard membrane thickness. For most wound presentations with moderate exudate where the standard absorption capacity meets wound drainage within the intended wear interval. Six pad sizes plus two roll formats — the most size-versatile PolyMem configuration.
• PolyMem Max Non-Adhesive (1045 — 4"×4"; 1088 — 8"×8"): 60% thicker membrane and higher MVTR film — 60% more absorbent than standard PolyMem. For heavily exuding wounds where the standard pad reaches capacity before the optimal change interval, or when extending time between changes is a clinical priority. Same four-component formula — additional capacity only.
• PolyMem Max Silver Non-Adhesive: Same thicker Max construction plus reactive ionic silver — for heavily exuding infected or high-bioburden wounds requiring antimicrobial action alongside maximum absorption.

Choosing the Right Size

• 5022 — 2" x 2": Smallest standard PolyMem pad — for small wounds, vascular access sites, small pressure injuries on bony prominences, finger and toe wounds, and any site where a compact dressing footprint is needed. Higher box count (20) for frequent small-wound use. Box of 20.
• 5033 — 3" x 3": Small-to-medium wounds — compact pressure injuries, small skin tears, minor abrasions and lacerations, and wounds where the 4×4 would overhang excessively onto healthy skin. Box of 15.
• 5044 — 4" x 4": Standard size — the most commonly used PolyMem pad; typical pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, venous ulcers, post-operative wounds, and donor sites of average dimension. Box of 15.
• 5055 — 5" x 5": Mid-to-large wounds — for wounds that outgrow the 4×4 but don't require the larger 6.5×7.5; moderate-to-large pressure injuries, wider surgical sites. Box of 15.
• 5077 — 6.5" x 7.5": Large wounds — extensive pressure injuries, large donor sites, wide venous ulcers, and wounds requiring maximum single-pad coverage for a large wound surface. Box of 15.
• 5124 — 4" x 12.5" Roll: For elongated wounds, custom-length applications, circumferential limb wrapping on smaller extremities, and cutting multiple pieces from one sterile unit. Box of 4.
• 5244 — 4" x 24" Roll: For the most extensive elongated wounds, circumferential wrapping of larger limbs, extended surface area burn management, and maximum cut-to-size flexibility from a single large format. Box of 4.

Not sure which size or configuration fits your wound? Call 1-866-218-0902 — Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm EST

Application Instructions

1. Cleanse the wound per standard protocol — because PolyMem's built-in cleanser reduces the cleansing burden, minimal additional cleansing is typically required; avoid aggressive mechanical scrubbing that disrupts new tissue
2. Cut the dressing to the appropriate size and shape with sterile scissors if needed — all polymeric membrane properties are retained throughout the cut piece
3. Apply the dressing directly to the wound — either side may face the wound; the membrane will expand slightly to fill any cavity present
4. Secure with tape at the dressing perimeter, a fixation sheet (such as Hypafix or similar), a secondary cover dressing, or compression bandaging as appropriate
5. For circumferential wounds using a roll — spiral-wrap from distal to proximal in overlapping turns, then secure with tape or bandage
6. Change every 1–7 days depending on exudate level — the dressing changes color as it absorbs, providing a visual indication of saturation; change when the dressing is saturated or as clinical condition requires

Removal: Gently lift the dressing from the wound — the glycerin moisturizer maintains a non-adherent interface throughout the wear period; removal is typically virtually pain-free even on fragile or newly epithelialized tissue. If any adherence occurs at the wound margin, apply a small amount of saline or sterile water to the edge before lifting.

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Questions about PolyMem Non-Adhesive or any of our polymeric membrane wound dressings? Call 1-866-218-0902 — our team is ready to help.