3M Nexcare Bandages

Regular adhesive bandages (known incorrectly genericized as “Band-Aid” in the US and officially genericized as “Elastoplast” in Europe) for minor cuts and scrapes have been around since 1920 when they were invented by Earle Dickson to help his wife treat her own minor injuries in the kitchen. As impossible as it is to imagine life without adhesive bandages, they were not super popular at first and have undergone a lot of changes since then. Even once they were popular there were still plenty of improvements to be made which is why when 3M had a go at bandages and introduced their Nexcare line in 1994 it was truly a pioneering move. Adhesive bandages normally don’t have issues so long as they are not disturbed, however, we all know in the course of everyday life even something as innocuous and necessary as washing your hands or bending a joint can cause a bandage to come loose. Nexcare came along and solved both of those problems with thin flexible material and water-resistant adhesive and the ability to form a tight seal around the wound. As expected, the Nexcare bandage has also improved and specialized some over the years.

What makes Nexcare bandages unique and makes them better than other brands is that their ultra-thin skin helps them follow the body’s contours which prevents them from shifting and wearing off the adhesive. Nexcare bandages are also most importantly waterproof, but yet allow oxygen in to the wound to promote healing. They do this by way of microscopic holes that block water molecules but allow air free movement into the bandage. With the water-resistant adhesive this will ensure your bandage doesn’t fall off in the pool or the shower. The diamond-shaped bandage also creates a tight seal which not only helps keep water out, but also dirt and germs out. This technology is available in the Nexcare clear bandages and Tegaderm clear bandages. The Tegaderm bandages are completely clear allowing you to see the healing process and last for about seven days. Other waterproof technology includes the cushioned adhesive pad and waterproof tape that will stick to wet or sweaty skin.

Nexcare has also stepped up to improve the care of acne and blisters with Hydrocolloid Technology which absorbs the gross fluids that blisters and acne are known to produce. This is extremely helpful under the foot because as the pad absorbs more liquid, it becomes a softer cushion. The blister care bandages also turn white as the bandage absorbs oils and pus making it clear that the bandage is working.

Knowing these basic types of Nexcare bandages will help you stock up on the right kinds for your first aid kit. To help you get some ideas for basic first aid, 3M has a few suggested themes for first aid kits for home chefs, road trips, frequent flyers, sports injuries, sushi chefs and a first aid kit for adventure junkies. There are some other 3M products in these kits which we happen to carry, so be sure to check for those if you want to build one of these kits.

While we carry all of the Nexcare products that 3M manufactures, we do have a number of them that are really popular. For mostly standard bandages, the ultra-stretch bandages 7100195691 which is a standard colored bandage and 7010372516 which is a 100 count of assorted clear bandages at a reasonable price. We’re also starting to carry some of the Nexcare bandages with designs for kids. These are super popular for our customers and they’re being shipped out regularly.

A couple of the more interesting innovations Nexcare has come up with are liquid and spray bandages both of which are like something out of a science fiction story. The Skin Crack Care is pretty self-explanatory, but would probably be quite handy in cold wintery places like Minnesota where hands crack due to the lack of humidity in winter. The Liquid Bandage Spray creates a clear spray-on bandage that withstands multiple washings and protects your injury to promote healing. These are really cool ways to heal quickly without the need for bandages or for irregular shaped wounds.

In terms of general first aid adhesive and treatment options, we carry Nexcare’s Gentle Paper First Aid tape which comes in 2 roll pack or 3 pack quantity. We also ship out a lot of Nexcare Eyepatches which are designed to treat strabismus, “lazy eye” (officially called amblyopia) at your doctor’s discretion. We also ship out a lot of Nexcare Tegaderm bandages particularly the clear waterproof and the completely transparent waterproof dressing which is quite a cool bit of wound care.

With these advanced options for wound care, they make a great addition to any first aid kit and while we hope you’ll never need any of them, we do recommend you grab a few to have on hand for emergencies. After all it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. 3M Nexcare first aid and bandages are a great way to have advanced first aid treatment to promote the best healing for you and your family.