Xeroform (often searched as “zero form”) is a sterile, non-adherent wound dressing made of fine mesh gauze coated in a petrolatum blend containing 3% bismuth tribromophenate. It’s one of the most widely used primary wound dressings in hospitals and outpatient care, applied directly to burns, surgical incisions, skin graft donor sites, and a range of open wounds to keep them moist and protected while they heal.
What Xeroform Is Made Of
The dressing has two components working together. The base is a fine mesh absorbent gauze, loose enough to let some air through but tight enough to stay in place over a wound. That gauze is saturated with petrolatum (the same petroleum jelly base as Vaseline) blended with 3% bismuth tribromophenate, a yellowish compound that gives Xeroform its distinctive look and smell.
The petrolatum keeps the dressing from sticking to raw tissue. Plain dry gauze bonds to a healing wound as it dries, and pulling it off tears new skin cells with it. The petroleum layer prevents that, making dressing changes far less painful and less damaging to the wound bed. It also creates a semi-occlusive barrier that slows moisture loss from the wound surface, which keeps the tissue from drying out and cooling down, both of which slow healing.
How It Helps Wounds Heal
Bismuth tribromophenate is bacteriostatic, meaning it slows the growth of bacteria rather than killing them outright. This reduces the risk of infection without the stronger effects (and potential side effects) of antibiotic-based dressings. The compound also deodorizes the wound, which matters for larger or chronic wounds that can develop a strong smell as tissue breaks down and bacteria colonize the surface.
By maintaining a consistently moist environment against the wound, Xeroform supports the body’s natural repair process. Wounds that dry out form thicker scabs, and new skin cells have to burrow underneath that crust to close the gap. A moist wound bed lets those cells migrate across the surface more easily, which typically speeds healing and produces less scarring.
Common Uses
Xeroform is used across a broad range of wound types:
- Burns: Partial-thickness (second-degree) burns are one of the most common applications. Some burn centers use a “stick-down” technique where a single layer of Xeroform is applied with a thin coat of antibiotic ointment, allowed to adhere to the burn, and left in place until new skin forms underneath and the dressing peels away on its own. This approach reduces the number of painful dressing changes, which is especially valuable for children.
- Skin graft donor sites: When surgeons harvest a thin layer of skin from one part of the body to graft onto another, the donor site is essentially a large, shallow wound. Xeroform is a standard dressing for these sites.
- Surgical incisions and wound closures: After procedures ranging from cancer resections to circumcisions, Xeroform is often the first layer placed against the healing tissue.
- Chronic wounds: Pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic foot wounds, and palliative wounds with minimal drainage can all be dressed with Xeroform.
It works best on wounds that produce little to moderate fluid. Heavily draining wounds need dressings with more absorptive capacity.
How to Apply and Change It
Xeroform is used as a primary dressing, meaning it goes directly against the wound. If your doctor has prescribed an ointment (such as an antibiotic), you spread a moderate amount on one side of the Xeroform and place that side against the skin. The dressing is then held in place with a secondary layer: a dry gauze pad, gauze wrap, or tape.
Dressing changes are typically done once a day, though your care team may adjust that schedule based on the wound. Because the petrolatum layer keeps the gauze from bonding to the tissue, removal is usually straightforward. If the dressing does feel stuck, dampening it with saline or clean water for a minute or two loosens it without tearing the healing surface.
Xeroform vs. Plain Petrolatum Gauze
Plain Vaseline gauze does the same basic job of keeping wounds moist and preventing the dressing from sticking. The difference is the bismuth tribromophenate. That 3% active ingredient adds the bacteriostatic and deodorizing properties that plain petrolatum gauze lacks. For simple, clean wounds with low infection risk, plain petrolatum gauze works fine. Xeroform offers an extra layer of protection for wounds where bacterial contamination is more of a concern or where odor control matters.
Both types fall into the category of impregnated gauze dressings, which sit between basic dry gauze (cheap but painful to remove and prone to drying out wounds) and advanced options like foam or hydrocolloid dressings. Impregnated gauze strikes a balance: it’s affordable, widely available, and effective for a large number of wound types.
Possible Reactions
Most people tolerate Xeroform without any issues. However, some individuals develop skin irritation, itching, rash, or a burning sensation at the application site. In rare cases reported to the FDA, reactions have included significant inflammation and skin peeling. There are also reports suggesting that people with certain drug allergies may be more sensitive to bismuth tribromophenate, so it’s worth mentioning any known allergies to your care team before the dressing is applied. If you notice increasing redness, swelling, or discomfort after a dressing change rather than gradual improvement, that’s a sign the dressing itself may be causing a reaction rather than the wound worsening on its own.