A method for opening and closing an incision in which a plurality of opposed sets of aligned closure components are adhesively adhered to a patient's skin, prior to making the incision, along opposite sides of the intended incision and spaced a first distance from one another transversely of the incision line. After the surgeon has made the incision and closed the wound in conventional fashion except for final closing of the epidermis, a bridge having a length shorter than the first distance anchored between the opposed closure components and spanning the incision draws the closure components toward each other so as to bring the skin at the edges of the wound into alignment and everting contact under a slight, but precise amount of tension which is maintained while the wound heals. The closure components and the bridge are all perforated and thus breathable, and the bridge material is transparent so as to permit healing of the incision to be monitored.