Band-Aid Brand Hydro Seal Adhesive Hydrocolloid Gel Bandages for Wound Care & Blister Relief, All Purpose Waterproof & Shower Proof Blister Pad, Sterile & Long-Lasting, Extra Large, 3 ct

hydrocolloid bandages (aka what these are) have been around a while, but it seems they're just starting to make a dent in the civilian market. It's a long running myth that you want to dry your wounds out. This isn't good. You don't want them to scab either. Wounds heal best when they are moist. That's what these bandages do. They keep the wound open and keep the scab from forming so that the wound can heal under ideal circumstances. They do this by releasing a fluid when they touch other fluids. You see this in the white squishy bubble that forms under the bandage. Thats a protective bubble over the wound, keeping it moist so it will heal properly.Don't apply this bandage when there is profuse bleeding/drainage - apply this bandage once the initial drainage has been reduced. If you apply this when there is a lot of bleeding, the gel inside the bandage will become active and the white bubble will swell and quickly become too large for the bandage to contain, and the bandage will then leak very early into the application - and when that happens, you have to apply a new one. so instead of getting 7 days out of it, you'll get 2. and since the box only has 4 bandages - that's a waste.The one thing to watch out for - these bandages seal the wound in a waterproof seal. This means you have to make sure there is nothing that can infect the wound so that you don't seal it in with the wound.So, clean your hands, clean the area around the wound - dry your skin, and apply this bandage and LEAVE IT ON. It will stay on for 6 days at least. Remove when it starts to fall off OR when it starts to leak.FYI - the only bad part of these bandages - is taking it off cause....it's got a weeks worth of fluid build up under it. That's gross, but you'll see incredible progress on the healing of the wound.IF! you use these on areas with stiches, be warned - they will cause the stiches to dissolve and you'll be left with a hole that now has to heal up on it's own. So, be careful of this.They are very sticky and once the adhesion takes, they will stay on through showers and daily activities without problem.

I needed a large bandage to heal a sacral ulcer. This bandage greatly exceeded my expectations. It is a good, large size that provides a lot of protection around the wound area. The adhesive on this bandage is incredibly strong and long lasting. You definitely want t make sure you put it exactly where you want it. Once applied, you pretty much leave it in place until your wound heals. In my case, it easily stayed in place after even a week to 10 days. You can even shower with it.The only negatives are you cannot apply creams or topical antibiotics using this bandage. You clean and dry your wound before bandage application. It is designed to keep bacteria out, but if your wound is already infected, this would not be a good choice. Also, because it adheres so tightly, you need to be careful removing it or you can remove the new tissue growth over your wound. With this bandage, you need to pull the edges sideways to get the adhesive to release without affecting your wound. Lastly, because the bandage is not clear, you cannot assess your wound without removing the bandage.For uninfected wounds, this bandage is great. It worked great to heal my sacral ulcer.

I have had acne my entire life. I've been on Accutane three times.These bandages are the holy grail for anyone who has acne lesions that refuse to drain. Don't buy those gimmicky little circles cosmetic companies sell for acne-- they fall off after a few minutes on oily skin, are overpriced for the amount of product you receive, and don't work as well as this brand does. Those cosmetic company brands are also extremely flimsy and are easy to destroy while applying them to the skin.Just buy this brand and size and take a clean pair of scissors. Keeping the backing in place, cut out the right size circles you need to cover any stubborn acne you have. Remove the back of the little circle you cut out, and press the adhesive side onto your skin. Leave on overnight. The adhesive on this brand keeps the bandage in place overnight, even on oily skin. I'd say most of the time, they stick to my skin, even to stubborn places like my nose. The exception might be if it's a really hot night and I've been sweating a lot.These things seem to drain the pus out of acne like nothing else. They also help a lot of you are a habitual "picker", too. Instead of picking at a lesion, just put one of these circles on the lesion. Once you wake up, remove the adhesive. The acne should be smaller than it was when you first applied it. If you picked on a zit and it's oozing, this will also help protect it and help it heal more quickly.My skin is sensitive and ranges from super dry to very oily, and the only time I've had any reaction to the adhesive is if I use way too many on my face at one time. Even then, it's just minor redness that disappears after a little while. They even work on neck acne, or folliculitis in other delicate areas (ahem). Have a weird bump or ingrown hair on your tush or thighs that your underwear keeps rubbing against? Stick a circle on that bump before getting dressed. I've even used them on my scalp near my neck line. I imagine if you have a shaved head, you could probably stick on on your scalp if you have a stubborn bump there.Of course, if you have a huge boil on your body, or severe acne, see a doctor, too!