A system, dressing, and method for providing reduced pressure treatment to a tissue site on a wound bed of a patient includes a variable wound dressing having a variable cover that is pliable at ambient pressure and less-pliable when placed under reduced pressure. The variable wound dressing has a first side and a second, patient-facing side, and in use, a treatment space is formed between the second, patient-facing side of the variable dressing and the wound bed. One or more ports are used to supply reduced pressure within the variable cover and to the wound site. A reduced-pressure subsystem is also included that is operable to supply reduced pressure to the one or more ports.
