Adhesive bandages are also commonly called "band-aids" although this is a brand-specific word.

An adhesive bandage is a small, flexible sheet of material that is adhesive on one side, and which has a non-sticky absorbent pad on the other, designed to absorb effluence from a wound. Most often, adhesive bandages are packaged in sealed packages and are sterile for direct application to the sound.

Adhesive bandages can come in a variety of sizes and shapes for help with dressing small papercuts to larger open wounds. For best application, the wound site should be clean and (if necessary) wound ointment or unguent should be applied prior to application of the bandage.