What Is the Yellow Dressing on a Wound? Fibrinous Exudate Explained
What is the yellow dressing on a wound?
The Quick Answer
Yellow wound dressing material is typically **Xeroform gauze** (therapeutic). Yellow *tissue* on the wound bed is **fibrinous exudate/slough**—a soft, moist, yellow-white layer resembling wet tissue paper that indicates non-viable tissue requiring debridement. Critical distinction: dressing material supports healing; yellow tissue impedes it.
Why We Ask This
Patients conflate yellow dressing material with pathological wound tissue, either unnecessarily removing beneficial dressings or ignoring necrotic slough that requires clinical intervention—both scenarios compromising healing outcomes.
The Practical Science
Fibrinous exudate forms when fibrinogen leaks from capillaries into wound fluid and polymerizes into a mesh that traps dead cells and bacteria. Unlike healthy granulation tissue, it lacks vascularization and blocks epithelial cell migration.
In Clinical Practice
A wound covered with yellow Xeroform dressing over pink granulation represents optimal healing; the same wound with yellow stringy tissue adhering to the bed requires debridement—demonstrating why material context trumps color interpretation.
References & Context
Wound Healing Yellow Tissue - fibrinous exudate - Healogics"Yellow tissue, clinically referred to as fibrinous exudate, is a common finding during the healing process. It often appears as a soft, moist, yellow-white layer on the wound bed and may resemble wet tissue paper or mucus.Nov 21, 2025"