It is hard to believe that it has taken so long for the message to get through, that dressings and dressing removal should not cause additional pain or trauma to the patient. However, the field of wound-related pain, its assessment and management has now been recognised (European Wound Management Association [EWMA], 2002; World Union of Wound Healing societies [WUWHS], 2004, 2007). This collection of case reports will demonstrate the importance of using non-adherent wound contact layers to minimise trauma to the wound bed and/or the surrounding skin.