Melolite dressings are constructed from an absorbent pad which helps distribute the fluid, thus avoiding the problems of immediate exudate strike-through, covered on both sides with a heat-laminated polyester film. This film acts as a low-adherent wound contact layer by allowing the rapid passage of exudate through its elliptical holed construction into the absorbent pad. This minimises the risk of adherence to the wound and the related trauma on dressing removal. Either side of the dressing can be placed directly onto the wound site.