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                  Skin-Care Products for Pump Users

                                 by
                        Deborah L. Gillaspie

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One problem that some pumpers have is skin irritation at the site.
Occasionally, people report an allergic reaction to the metal needle,
which can sometimes be remedied by switching to an infusion set with a
Teflon cannula, like MiniMed's Sof-Set. More common is a skin reaction
to the various adhesive products used to hold the infusion set in
place. Some people experience this problem right away when they start
on a pump; others develop it over time; still others never experience
it at all.

For those who do have skin irritation problems, there are some products
designed for ostomy patients that can help. There are two types, "skin
barriers" and "adhesive removers."

Skin barriers are brushed onto clean skin at the chosen site. Once they
dry, they provide a layer of insulation between the skin and adhesive
products such as Tegaderm, tapes, and other products used to secure
the infusion set. Skin barriers come in various forms, such as sprays,
wipes, and gels. Some experimentation is necessary to determine which
form works best for a particular individual. Wipes are most expensive,
but they are most convenient (especially for travel.) The gel can be
applied with fingers or a swab. My personal experience with the spray
was not really good; I still had to use my fingers to spread it around.
The stuff puts a barrier over anything you touch, which includes your
fingers -- warm water and soap dissolves it. Once you put Tegaderm over
the barrier, it won't dissolve when you shower. If you use tape, you
may find that water seeping under the tape dissolves the barrier, and
you might need to use Tegaderm or a similar product.

People with sensitive skin sometimes find that the adhesive products
don't cause a problem until they are removed, then there is a skin
reaction. Adhesive dissolvers can help with this. They also come in two
forms, liquid and wipes. The liquid can be put on a swab and inserted
between the skin and the adhesive; the wipe works the same way. There
is less waste with the container of liquid, but the wipes are more
convenient for travel. I use an 8-oz. container of Uni-Solve at home,
then pack the wipes in my purse.

Because these items are ostomy supplies, they are not generally
available at the average drug store. Walgreens, for instance, limits
their sale to their Home Medical Center stores. Many mail order
suppliers sell these items; you have to shop around to get the lowest
price. One mail order house that sometimes has sales on these items is
Bruce Medical Supply in Waltham, MA. Their phone number is
1-800-225-8446, and they have a catalog. The address is 411 Waverly
Oaks Road, P.O. Box 9166, Waltham, MA 02254-9166. My understanding is
that any pharmacy can ORDER these, but be prepared to pay list price
for a special order. I was able to get these products covered by my
insurance as "insulin pump supplies" by having the prescription written
out describing them as such; the policy on this varies from company to
company. It's worth a try. I certainly could not stay on the pump
without them!

Here are some common product names and their manufacturers, together
with list prices as given in the Bruce Medical Supply Catalog. The
Bruce prices are discounted from this, but they change often enough
that you need to check them before you order -- and sometimes there are
sales when you can stock up. Bruce sometimes offers a discount for a
purchase of five or more boxes of wipes. When the list price was not
given, I gave the Bruce price and flagged it. Not all manufacturers
have dissolver products in this catalog; that doesn't necessarilyy mean
they don't make one. I have used only the United and Hollister
products; the others are new since I last ordered.

SMITH&NEPHEW UNITED

Skin barrier: Skin Prep

Wipes, 50/pkg.   $10.75
Brush-On, 2oz    $ 9.65
Spray, 4.25 oz.  $12.60

Dissolver:   Uni-Solve

Wipes, 50/pkg.   $12.35
Liquid, 8 oz.    $ 8.70 (I've been using this size for over a year.)
Liquid,32 oz.    $29.90

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HOLLISTER
Skin barrier: Skin Gel

Wipes, 50/pkg (not in this month's catalog, but they are manufactured)
Gel, 1 oz. tube $ 5.10 (Bruce's Jan. sale price)

No directly comparable dissolver to Uni-Solve; they make a special
silicone product for removing ostomy appliances which is quite a bit
more expensive.

BARD
Skin barrier: Protective Barrier Film

Wipes, 50/pkg.       $11.75 (Bruce price)
Dab-O-Matic, 1.3 oz. $ 8.55 (list)

No dissolver in the catalog.

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MENTOR

Skin barrier: Shield Skin

wipes, 50/pkg     $11.30
spray, 2oz        $ 5.25 (Bruce price)

No dissolver in the catalog.

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ALL-KARE

Skin barrier: All Kare Protective Barrier Wipes

Wipes, 100 pkg.  $18.35 (Bruce price)

No dissolver in the catalog.


For what it's worth, I found the mail order prices from Bruce to be
significantly lower than my Walgreens Health Care Center out in
the Western Burbs of Chicago. Your milage may vary. <grin>