GEMCO Medical Donates Silicone Dressings to Prevent PPE Friction

HUDSON, Ohio (April 16, 2020)— GEMCO Medical, a medical supply wholesaler and third-party logistics provider of diabetes supplies and other medical products, announced the adaption of its GEMCORE360º Silicone Lite Foam Wound Dressing to help provide a layer of facial protection to health care workers who are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for long periods of time. In addition, to locally support COVID-19 efforts, GEMCO Medical is donating 8,000 pieces with adaption guides to University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic.

In the fight against COVID-19, many health care workers are experiencing friction injuries and skin breakdown from continuous use of PPE, such as goggles and face masks. Bruising and skin reactions can occur as a result of sustained pressure, tension and friction forces, as well as from the moist environment created with PPE. 

“In our conversations with University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic, both hospital systems voiced the need for this type of interface,” said Paul Tracy, president of GEMCO Medical and its parent GEMCORE. “We are incredibly grateful to all the healthcare workers under these extraordinary circumstances, and as an essential business, we will continue to explore ways we can help during this pandemic.”

The GEMCORE360º Brand of Advanced Wound Care Dressings are designed to support healing all phases of acute and chronic wound environments. However, for this particular application, the Silicone Lite Foam Dressing makes the ideal interface between facial skin and the PPE as it is comprised of a thin hydrophilic soft foam with a flexible, breathable backing. Traditionally used to help heal stubborn wounds, GEMCORE360º Silicone Lite Foam Dressing can stay on the skin for days without risk of skin maceration, provides soft cushioning between the PPE and face, and is engineered for gentle, easy removal. Click here to download a copy of the guide.

A Singapore study conducted during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s found that those who developed skin reactions while wearing N95 masks were wearing the masks for an average duration of 8 hours per day. In a more recent article published in the Journal of Tissue, protecting a health care professional’s skin is paramount as skin injuries under the mask could be an entry point for coronavirus, as well as other bacterial, viral or fungal infections acquired in hospitals.