We need a new introduction to Hydrogel.  Responses to people's questions
seems to really confuse people who read just the responses and not the
originals.  This may not clear up the problem, but I'll try.  I'm including
Star Siegfried's information too.

 A woman by the name of Marcia Stewart, RN,BSN,CETN (a certified
Enterstomal Therapist) gave a talk at this years ILCA conference about
moist wound healing for damaged nipples. She talked about a product she has
been using in conjunction with some LCs to aid in healing damaged nipples.
She has found that a Hydrogel dressing used over the affected area is
working very well to speed up the healing process. This stuff has been used
for chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers and burns. Here is what the
insert says: Composed of saline based, hydrophilic, biocompatible polymer.

It provides a moist wound healing environment that cushions and produces a
cooling effect--Features exceptional exudate absorption for up to seven
days-- Has moisture vapor transmission and bacterial barrier
characteristics--- it does not pull at the healing nipple when it is
removed for nursing.  Star S.
---------------------
Hydrogel dressing is like a bandage, made up of a thin sheet of plastic, one
side of which is permeated with a thick gelatinous, watery substance.  The
sheet, which comes in a lot of sizes, is cut( with clean scissors) to be a
little larger than the nipple and is placed with the gelatinous side on the
nipple, and held in place by a breast pad inside the bra.

If a medicinal cream is used it is applied before placing the dressing. (
One mother with terrible yeast (severly damaged nipples) found relief with
this product and said that it kept the breast pads from removing the
anti-fungal cream.)

The dressing is removed to feed the baby, placed watery side up on a table
and reapplied after the feeding.
Marcia Stewart suggested that a given piece be used for 1-3 days, unless it
is used on a yeasty nipple.  Then it would be changed more frequently.

One mother who used it last week told me that with a lot of leaking of milk
she found that she changed the dressing a couple of times a day. She found
it quite soothing and the first thing that she wanted to touch the nipples.
She chose to not use it at night, as she said continued use seemed to make
her nipples softer. I think she may have been feeling that "tough" nipples
were preferred. I don't know about that but I'm filing away her comments.
Everyone is different, of course.

There are several names under which this dressing is marketed.  I bought New
Skin.  Perhaps others will tell of the brand names they have found.  The
presenter at ILCA mentioned Clearsite.

If others of you have additional information that would be helpful to people
who didn't attend the conference please post it.  I think that this product
has use for us, but it needs to be presented accurately.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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