It’s good to use a dressing for a few reasons. First, it provides a barrier between your wound and the environment, helping to protect it from infection. Second, the dressing will absorb any fluid your wound produces, helping to protect your skin from becoming over moist which can make it more susceptible to damage and infection, and cause increased pain. The dressing will also prevent your wound from sticking to any compression bandaging or garment you are wearing, helping to protect delicate healing tissue and keeping your compression cleaner for longer. The dressing you use should be appropriate for your stage of wound healing. for example, a thin film dressing can be used for a shallow almost healed wound. If the skin surrounding your wound is fragile, a dressing containing silicone may avoid damage to the skin.