Does Your Elderly Loved One Have Sensitive Skin With Wounds? 3 Tips To Prevent A Medical Adhesive Related Skin Injury
As part of the normal aging process, your loved one's skin grows thinner. Senior adults are also prone to developing allergies later in life that they might not have had to worry about before. Seeing your loved one dealing with a wound is hard enough, and the last thing that you want to witness is their care routine causing even more pain.
A medical adhesive related skin injury is an unfortunate reality for many older adults who may need to wear bandages for prolonged periods of time. These injuries can involve serious blisters, rashes and even skin tears that interfere with the ability to heal. These tips can help you to protect your loved one from this painful health condition while still continuing to practice proper wound care.
Try to Choose the Right Bandage
The bandage used to cover a wound typically needs to stay on your loved one's body and protect it from bacteria and moisture. For this reason, medical professionals often go for the strongest adhesives that they can find. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of a MARSI happening. Ask your loved one's physician if the bandage they are using is known to cause skin irritation. If so, then they may be willing to try a different type that is gentler on fragile skin.
Follow Proper Skin Prep
Some of these injuries are preventable with proper skin preparation during wound dressings and changes. Your loved one's skin should be clean and dry before the bandage is applied. Any adhesive that is leftover from the previous bandage may need to be carefully removed. You may also need to shave or trim hairs that could get caught in the medical tape or bandage. When it is time to remove their bandage, you need to follow the right procedure to take it off with as little trauma being caused as possible. Your loved one's medical team can show you tips such as how to remove the bandage slowly while using your other hand to gently press on their skin.
Take Note of New Symptoms During Bandage Changes
The worst MARSIs are those that are allowed to go on too long. Although some redness is common after wearing a bandage, you need to be on the lookout for early signs of irritation. If you notice swelling, a pimple-like rash or severe redness, then you need to notify your loved one's physician immediately. They may be able to suggest a different type of bandage along with some care strategies to soothe their skin.
When you are faced with a serious medical issue, it can be really easy to panic. You might wonder what you did to be left struggling with your health, or trying to figure out how to make things right as quickly as possible. Fortunately, by working with your doctor to understand and resolve medical problems, you could recover. The purpose of this blog is to help you to wrap your mind around medical issues and know how to make things right. Check out this website to find out what you need to do in order to create positive, impactful change in your life.