A term you should learn: MARSI

Our skin is alive and it’s constantly renewing. It breathes; it insulates; shields us and protects us. It’s the part of us that touches the world and receives that touch back. In short, we cannot live without it. But did you know that the types of bandages you use and how they’re applied can have a real impact on the health of a patient’s skin? Without the proper treatment, patients can experience Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injuries (MARSI).

Think about the moments when you’re removing a bandage. It hurts, and sometimes even hurts after removal too. Skin tears and blisters are hard on patients and can be costly to treat.

However, with 3M™ Medical Tapes and a few simple tips in applying and removing the bandage, you can help reduce the risk of MARSI, keeping your patients comfortable and healthy.

When it comes time to apply one of our medical dressings or medical tapes, use these important techniques:

• Prepare the skin with a barrier product such as 3M™ Cavilon™ No Sting Barrier Film
• Apply the medical dressing or tape to skin with firm pressure, without stretching or creating tension
• Avoid gaps and wrinkles to combat moisture

Equally as important are the steps taken for more effective removal (hint – no grip it and rip it here):

• When loosening the edge of the tape, press a small separate piece of tape onto a corner of the piece to be removed. This acts as a handle for lifting the edge of the tape.
• Remove tape “low and slow” in the direction of hair growth, keeping it close to (parallel with) the skin surface while pulling it back over itself.
• As tape is removed, continue to support the skin at the peel line.