An absorbent article that includes an outer covering made of two liquid-permeable cover layers that are joined together to form a pocket, and an inner layer that is initially freely movable within the pocket. The inner layer includes a mixture of particles of a superabsorbent polymer and substances that are osmotically comparatively weaker than the particles. When the absorbent article is applied to a human or animal skin surface to cover a wound, the absorbent article exerts an osmotic pressure via which endogenous wound exudate is removed from the wound. Thus, the absorbent article assists, both in a surface region and in a tissue depth, a normal interstitial hydration of the tissue by directing the wound fluids in a direction of flow to the skin surface and into the absorbent article, and by keeping the wound fluids that flow to the skin surface in the absorbent article.