A semi-occlusive (semi-permeable, transparent) dressing allows the wound to “breathe” (air can penetrate in and out) but at the same time, protects the wound from outside liquids. Commonly used dressings in vascular access are semi-occlusive, transparent dressings. Semi-occlusive wound treatments significantly decrease epidermal thickness, cellularity, mitotic activity and dermal cellularity as well as transcriptional levels of important epidermal mediators of inflammation.