A reduced-pressure treatment system for treating a wound on a patient includes a composite manifold that may help prevent or minimize injury to a wound edge of the wound being treated with reduced pressure. The composite manifold includes a perimeter manifold member and an inboard manifold member. The perimeter manifold member is designed to not collapse substantially under reduced pressure in a therapy range. The perimeter manifold member may be more rigid with respect to compressibility than the inboard manifold member. A sealing member is used to form a fluid seal over the wound, and a reduced-pressure subsystem provides reduced pressure to the composite manifold. Other systems, methods, and dressings are presented.