ALLEVYN LIFE HEEL

Heel pressure ulcers present a dual wound management challenge: the curved anatomy of the heel demands a contoured dressing, and the constant compression that the heel endures when a patient rests demands a dressing that resists rewetting. ALLEVYN Life Heel is a four-layer foam dressing from Smith+Nephew that addresses both challenges in a single product. It applies the fluid lock technology from the ALLEVYN Life range to a heel-contoured format with an integrated adhesive border, providing consistent exudate management in a shape designed for the posterior anatomy of the foot. It contains no silver and no antimicrobial agent. Available in a single size of 25cm x 25.2cm. No prescription is required.

ALLEVYN Life Heel is a regulated Class IIb medical device from Smith+Nephew. It is the heel-contoured version of ALLEVYN Life, bringing the four-layer fluid lock construction of that product range into a format specifically shaped for the heel and posterior ankle area.

Like all products in the ALLEVYN Life range, ALLEVYN Life Heel incorporates four distinct functional layers. The innermost layer is non-adherent to the wound surface. Above this is a highly absorbent foam layer. The third layer is the fluid lock layer, which captures absorbed exudate and retains it within the dressing, resisting rewetting when the dressing is subjected to pressure. The outer layer is a moisture vapour permeable film backing with an integrated adhesive border, shaped to follow the heel contour.

The heel-contoured shape is the other defining feature. Standard flat dressings applied to the heel frequently lift, shift, or fail to conform to the curved posterior anatomy of the foot. ALLEVYN Life Heel is shaped to follow the heel from the lower ankle to the plantar surface, providing more consistent wound coverage and border adhesion than a flat dressing applied to this area.

ALLEVYN Life Heel contains no silver and no antimicrobial agent. It is the non antimicrobial equivalent within the heel dressing range. For infected or at-risk heel wounds, ALLEVYN Ag Heel provides silver sulfate antimicrobial management. ALLEVYN Life Heel is suited to clean heel wounds, healing heel pressure ulcers, and other non infected heel wounds where the fluid lock property is clinically valuable due to the compression the heel experiences during rest.

ALLEVYN Life Heel contains no antimicrobial agent and is not suitable for infected heel wounds. If the wound shows signs of infection, increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth, worsening appearance, or offensive odour, seek clinical assessment. For infected or at-risk heel wounds, ALLEVYN Ag Heel is the appropriate antimicrobial alternative.

Layer 1: Non Adherent Wound Contact Surface

The innermost layer sits directly on the wound surface and is non adherent, allowing wound exudate to pass through into the absorbent layer above while minimising trauma to the wound bed at removal.

Layer 2: Absorbent Foam Core

The second layer is a highly absorbent polyurethane foam that wicks exudate upward from the wound contact surface and holds it away from the wound. This prevents pooling of exudate at the wound bed, reduces maceration of the periwound skin, and maintains a moist healing environment at the wound surface.

Layer 3: Fluid Lock Layer

The fluid lock layer captures absorbed exudate and retains it within the dressing structure. This is the clinically critical layer for heel wound management. When a patient rests with the heel on a mattress or bed surface, the dressing is subjected to significant compression. In a standard foam dressing this compression can redistribute absorbed fluid back toward the wound surface, a process called rewetting. The fluid lock layer significantly reduces this effect, maintaining the wound in a more consistently managed state between dressing changes. For heel pressure ulcers in immobile or bedridden patients where the heel is regularly compressed, this property is particularly relevant.

Heel Contoured Shape with Adhesive Border

The outer film layer is formed into a heel-contoured shape with an integrated acrylic adhesive border. The contoured shape follows the posterior anatomy of the heel and ankle, providing better wound coverage and more consistent border adhesion than a flat dressing applied to this curved surface. The adhesive border holds the dressing in position without a secondary fixation product for most patients, unlike the ALLEVYN Heel and ALLEVYN Ag Heel products which require a fixation bandage.

Moisture Vapour Permeable Film

The film backing allows moisture vapour from absorbed exudate to evaporate through the dressing while remaining waterproof to external fluids, maintaining absorbent capacity throughout the wear period.

Before Application

• Wash hands and use appropriate gloves.
• Clean the wound with sterile saline or as directed by a healthcare professional.
• Dry the periwound skin around the heel and ankle. The acrylic adhesive border requires dry intact periwound skin for effective adhesion.
• Do not apply creams, lotions, or oil-based products to the area where the border will contact the skin.

Application

• Position the dressing with the foam pad over the wound, aligning the contoured shape with the heel anatomy from the posterior ankle to the plantar aspect of the foot.
• Remove the release liner from the adhesive border in sections and press firmly onto the surrounding intact periwound skin.
• No secondary dressing is required for most patients.
• Label with the date and time of application.

Wear Time and Removal

• ALLEVYN Life Heel can be worn for up to seven days depending on exudate levels.
• Change the dressing when exudate is visible approaching the edge of the foam pad, when the border lifts or fails, or at the scheduled change time.
• To remove, lift one edge of the adhesive border and peel slowly back parallel to the skin surface. Support the periwound skin with one hand, particularly for patients with thin or fragile periwound skin at the ankle and heel area.
• Assess the wound at each change. Monitor for any sign of infection and review whether ALLEVYN Life Heel remains the most appropriate dressing.
• Patients can shower while wearing ALLEVYN Life Heel. The film backing is waterproof to external fluids. Avoid prolonged immersion. Pat dry after showering and check the border adhesion. If the border has lifted, replace with a new dressing.

ALLEVYN Life Heel — 25cm x 25.2cm

ALLEVYN Life Heel is available in a single size of 25cm x 25.2cm. The dimensions reflect the contoured heel shape rather than a standard flat format. This size is designed to provide adequate coverage for the typical range of heel wound dimensions encountered in clinical practice, including heel pressure ulcers across grades 2 to 4.

If the wound is significantly larger than the foam pad coverage area, seek clinical guidance from a tissue viability nurse, district nurse, or podiatrist. For very large or complex heel wounds, an alternative dressing approach may be required.

Do Not Use ALLEVYN Life Heel If

• The patient has a known allergy or hypersensitivity to acrylic adhesive or any component of the dressing.
• The wound is infected or at risk of infection. ALLEVYN Life Heel contains no antimicrobial agent. Use ALLEVYN Ag Heel for infected or at-risk heel wounds.
• The wound is dry or minimally exuding, an absorbent foam may desiccate the wound surface.

Precautions

• ALLEVYN Life Heel is a single use product. Do not reuse or reapply a used dressing.
• Use with caution in patients with peripheral vascular disease or diabetes. Clinical assessment of vascular status is important before applying any adhesive dressing to the foot and lower leg. Seek clinical guidance.
• Monitor the wound closely at each dressing change. Heel wounds in patients with diabetes or poor circulation can deteriorate rapidly. Seek urgent clinical assessment if the wound worsens or the patient develops systemic symptoms.
• For patients with fragile periwound skin where the acrylic border causes trauma at removal, consider ALLEVYN Gentle Border Heel (silicone adhesive border) as an alternative.
• Do not use MRI scanning with the dressing in place. Remove before MRI procedures.

Adverse Effects

• Skin sensitivity, irritation, or stripping at the acrylic adhesive border, particularly on fragile periwound skin at the ankle. Consider silicone border alternatives for fragile skin.
• Wound desiccation if exudate falls significantly during treatment, reassess dressing choice.

ALLEVYN Life Heel Is Suitable For

• Clean, non infected heel pressure ulcers grades 2 to 4 where both heel-contoured coverage and fluid lock rewetting resistance are clinically indicated
• Bedridden or immobile patients with heel pressure ulcers where the heel is regularly compressed against the mattress, making standard foam rewetting a clinical concern
• Healing heel wounds in the later stages of recovery where infection has been treated and ongoing exudate management with fluid lock protection is the clinical priority
• Adults and children under healthcare professional supervision

Both products are contoured foam dressings for the heel. ALLEVYN Life Heel has a four-layer construction with a fluid lock layer and an integrated adhesive border. ALLEVYN Heel is a standard foam dressing without a fluid lock layer and requires a secondary fixation bandage. Choose ALLEVYN Life Heel when fluid lock rewetting resistance is a clinical priority and when an adhesive border is clinically appropriate. Choose ALLEVYN Heel when bandage fixation is preferred or when no adhesive can be applied to the periwound skin.

ALLEVYN Ag Heel contains silver sulfate for antimicrobial infection management. ALLEVYN Life Heel contains no silver but has a fluid lock layer. Both have heel-contoured shapes and are secured with a fixation bandage rather than an integrated border. For infected or at-risk heel wounds, ALLEVYN Ag Heel is the appropriate choice. For clean healing heel wounds where fluid lock protection is needed and bandage fixation is preferred, ALLEVYN Heel is the equivalent without the fluid lock layer.

ALLEVYN Life Heel is a regulated medical device and does not require a prescription. It can be purchased directly through Pharmacy Planet without a clinical consultation. It is available in the single size of 25cm x 25.2cm.

Pharmacy Planet stocks the full range of heel dressings including ALLEVYN Life Heel, ALLEVYN Heel, ALLEVYN Ag Heel, and the ALLEVYN Gentle Border Heel configuration, alongside the full ALLEVYN Life range in standard sizes.

Heel pressure ulcers should be managed under clinical supervision. Seek assessment from a tissue viability nurse, district nurse, podiatrist, or GP for any heel wound that is complex, deteriorating, or associated with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease.

• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture.
• Store below 25°C.
• Keep in the original sealed packaging until immediately before use.
• Each dressing is individually sterile packed. Do not use if the packaging is damaged or compromised.
• Check the expiry date before use. Do not use after the expiry date.
• Once opened, apply immediately.
• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Dispose of used dressings as clinical waste in accordance with local guidelines.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered online pharmacy stocking the full ALLEVYN range including ALLEVYN Life Heel, ALLEVYN Life, ALLEVYN Heel, ALLEVYN Ag Heel, and the ALLEVYN Gentle Border Heel configuration. All products are genuine and sourced through regulated supply chains.

Our pharmacists are available to advise on which heel dressing format is most appropriate for a specific wound, standard foam, fluid lock, antimicrobial, adhesive border, or bandage-secured, and on when clinical referral is appropriate.

References

1. Smith+Nephew. ALLEVYN Life Heel Wound Dressing — Instructions for Use. Smith+Nephew Medical Ltd. https://www.smith-nephew.com. Accessed May 2026.
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Pressure ulcers: prevention and management (CG179). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg179. Accessed May 2026.
3. Wounds UK. Heel pressure ulcer guidance and management. https://www.wounds-uk.com. Accessed May 2026.
4. NHS. Pressure sores (pressure ulcers). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pressure-sores. Accessed May 2026.