An antimicrobial dressing comprising a hydrophobic, porous, meshy, silicone-coated contact layer and a fibrous substrate layer that carries and releases a metal-based antimicrobial agent to prevent infection. In some embodiments, the contact layer comprises a mesh of silicone-coated polyethylene fibers. The silicone in the contact layer helps to reduce the appearance of scars as wounds heal. In some embodiments, the substrate layer comprises a fibrous mesh in which some or all of the fibers are coated in a zeolite carrying metal ions. When the dressing encounters moisture, and moisture penetrates to the substrate layer, the moisture acts to release the antimicrobial metal ions from the zeolites. The ions then migrate through the porous, meshy contact layer into the wound, where they kill microorganisms that cause infection. In some embodiments, the antimicrobial ions carried in the substrate layer are silver ions or a mixture of silver ions and copper ions or a mixture of silver ions and zinc ions or a mixture of silver ions and sodium ions.
