LBF 'no-sting' barrier wipes: skin care using advanced silicone technology

The past decade has seen a huge growth in the application of silicone-based products to the healthcare market, with this technology finding its way into diverse areas ranging from the manufacture of disposable contact lenses to urinary catheters, and the development of a new generation of wound and skin care products. However, the current development of topical silicone treatments to protect the skin is not a new idea, but rather a renaissance, with the first of these products being developed in the 1940s as a substance known as 'water glass' or sodium silicate. Although the years have past, the challenges for nursing remain the same, with the need to protect vulnerable areas of the skin and the prevention of skin breakdown forming one of the cornerstones of professional care across all spheres of practice. This article considers the role that silicone-based barrier films, such as CliniMed's LBF, can play in the prevention and management of skin breakdown.