There is a direct, practical answer to this.
When you change a dressing on a surgical wound: if the dressing sticks to the wound, moisten it gently with water and try again.
The second half of that instruction matters as much as the first: unless your surgeon instructed you to pull it off dry. Some dressings are meant to come away dry. If you have been told that, the instruction you were given comes before the general advice.
Pulling harder isn’t the answer. A dressing that is stuck is attached to the wound surface, and removing it by force takes tissue with it.
Here is the order for a dressing change. Clean your hands first: wash with soap and warm water and clean under your nails, then rinse and dry with a clean towel. Have your supplies ready and a clean work surface. Carefully loosen the tape from the skin. Put the old dressing in a plastic bag and wash your hands again. When the new dressing goes on, do not touch the inside of it.
If a dressing sticks every time it is changed, mention it to whoever chose it. The right dressing depends on the type of wound and the type of dressing, and those are decisions you make with your healthcare professional, not alone.
