Protecting Your Patients from Incontinence Associated Dermatitis
Incontinence is a problem that affects around five million people in the UK alone, the majority of these people being older adults and people living with disabilities. It’s common for people with incontinence issues to be more prone to dermatitis when the products used to take care of their skin are not satisfactory.
Having incontinence associated dermatitis is an unpleasant condition and one that can lead to the person requiring a catheter to help prevent wound infection which can make them uncomfortable. So taking steps to prevent incontinence associated dermatitis in the first place is important.
Incontinence-associated dermatitis most commonly occurs when moisture from urine is exposed to the skin for a long length of time, which causes the beginnings of the breakdown of tissue, leading to pain, soreness and skin irritation. Once this condition occurs, it can be extremely difficult to treat and get rid of permenantly, which is what makes it so crucial that all care team members understand the best methods of preventing incontinence associated dermatisis through the use of best practice care methods.
The good news is that when it comes to preventing incontinence associated dermatitis, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to make the process easier for care team members. What it’s important to bear in mind is that there are three main measures that can be put in place to help prevent this painful condition from occurring in the first place. These are effective cleansing, moisturising, and protecting the skin.
Of course, while these three steps can help to prevent incontinence associated dermatitis from occurring, there are certain ways that these things have to be done. Otherwise, they can increase the likelihood of this condition developing.
How to cleanse effectively
One option is to use a mild soap that has a PH balance that is ‘skin suitable’ and also contain surfactants which are compounds that work to effectively remove urine from bodily tissue and can help to reduce the risk of wounds developing and wound infection. When washing a resident with incontinence issues, always use fresh warm water, not hot or cold water but the perfect balance between the two.
Another option which is often easier and can be more effective is to use specialist ‘Wet Patient Wipes’ which are designed for cleansing when incontinence is an issue. At CLH, we offer a range of ‘Wet Patient Wipes’ in addition to ‘Dry Patient Wipes’. One of the best types of wipes for this kind of care are Contiplan+ Wipes that are designed to effectively deal with all cleansing needs for people with incontinence issues. A complete all in one continence care solution to cleanse, moisturise and protect, in one easy cloth. Used in hospitals across the world for over 10 years, they have been a trusted product for the prevention of incontinence associated dermatitis (IAD). They’re also suitable for fragile skin, they soothe, moisturise and cleanse using a cream-based formula that offers 10% barrier protection, in a quick and easy, all-in-one wipe that is paraben and lanolin-free.
Moisturising is crucial
It’s important that once you have cleaned the area, that a suitable moisturising product is used, which can help to replace the lipids in skin that can be lost as the skin is cleansed. You can either choose to apply a moisturiser straight onto the skin or you can use a soap that offers added moisturisation.
If you opt to use a wet wipe option, wipes like Contiplan+ Wipes offer a wipe that has added moisture built in as part of its all-in-one solution.
How to best protect the skin
To help protect the skin from urine, a moisture-barrier cream or spray can be applied once the skin is dry. The idea behind this level of protection is to ensure that the skin has a barrier across it, to help limit the risk that incontinence associated dermatitis will occur.
It’s also essential to ensure that when it comes to providing this kind of cleansing care you understand the importance of not using too much pressure. As large amounts of pressure can cause the risk of incontinence associated dermatitis to increase, putting your patients and residents at risk.
It’s also important to ensure that the incontience pads being used offer a higher absorbancy than the capacity required, because this will ensure that the skin is kept drier and therefore the risk of incontinence associated dermatitis is reduced.
There you have it, everything that you need to know about protecting your patients and residents from incontinence associated dermatitis and risks that this condition poses.
