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Health

What Are Gauze Strips?

By S. Gonzales
Updated Jan 30, 2024
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Gauze strips are simply pieces of gauze that have been cut into strips for easy handling. Some types of gauze strips can be used for arts and crafts projects, and others are intended to be incorporated as part of medical treatment. Strips can be used to treat injuries, pack wounds and prevent infection. Gauze that has been treated with antibacterial agents can do an especially good job of preventing infection.

Strips used in the medical community are usually made to be non-adherent so that they can be easily moved around on a wound. They can be created out of cotton, and some manufacturers design their strips to be carefully woven in order to prevent unraveling. These types of strips can be favored when an injury is located on an area that is exposed to a lot of movement.

Gauze that is meant to be used against the body is made to be non-toxic. Some gauze can come coated with chemicals to help in the healing of wounds. These chemicals can include antibacterial agents.

Certain types of strips are designed to pack open wounds. Insertion of these strips into the wound can help capture blood and other liquid drainage and, if the gauze has an antibacterial agent on it, prevent infection. Gauze can be suitable for full-thickness wounds such as tunneling wounds and pressure ulcers. Strips can also be used to pack the sinus or nasal areas and to treat abscesses, boils and fistulas. Strips can be used for packing purposes, and a separate piece of gauze can be placed over the packed gauze strip to help protect the area from disruption.

Strips are available in several different widths. This affords medical professionals and consumers the opportunity to choose the best pre-cut gauze shape for their needs. Gauze strips can be individually packaged, so they can also be sold by the box in various quantities. Some strips can be packaged using foil, making the peeling apart of the packing relatively simple.

Other types of gauze strips are used for arts and crafts projects. These strips are plastic-impregnated, are moldable and can be applied to any porous surface after they have been moistened. They will stick to the surface, making them ideal for projects that require a flexible material that can adhere easily. Many people who use gauze this way sand down the strips and paint them after they have completely dried. Gauze strips also can be used to make masks.

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Discussion Comments

By bear78 — On Sep 06, 2014

@serenesurface-- I think that petrolatum gauze is used when a wound needs to stay moist. The dry gauze strips are great for absorbing blood and discharge. Without these, the discharge tends to pool around the wound. They are made of cotton and absorb very well. Petrolatum gauze would probably be best for dry wounds that heal best when they are moist. Perhaps burns or wounds where bleeding has stopped.

You might want to ask your doctor which would be best for you. All gauze strips used for packing are non-stick and sterile. So you don't have to worry about those aspects. The price might be a sign of its quality though.

By serenesurface — On Sep 06, 2014

I've noticed that most stores sell two types of gauze strips -- plain gauze strips and petrolatum gauze strips. What's the benefit of petrolatum gauze strips? Which types of injuries are these made for? Which type should I get?

By ZipLine — On Sep 05, 2014

Combat gauze is usually made in a way that it can be packed into the wound immediately. These have a special coating that helps blood clot quickly. They are not made to encourage treatment, but rather stop bleeding as quickly as possible since bleeding is the biggest risk in an emergency.

I've actually never used gauze strips. But I have used combat gauze in sheets or rolls to control bleeding. I can see how the strips can come in handy though because the rolls don't always fit well into a wound. In order for clotting to occur quickly, the powder on the gauze needs to react with the protein in blood. So it's necessary for the gauze to fill up the wound nicely. I'll be sure to get some gauze strips to add to my first aid kit.

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