Maintaining skin integrity is one of the most persistent challenges in modern healthcare. For nurses in aged care facilities, home carers, and clinical staff, the goal is always two-fold: prevent skin breakdown before it happens and manage complex wounds effectively when they do occur.

From the early signs of Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis (IAD) to the management of high-exudate chronic wounds, selecting the right product is critical. The wrong dressing can lead to skin stripping, maceration, or delayed healing, while the right choice can significantly improve patient comfort and reduce nursing time.

At Biofast, we stock the industry-leading solutions from 3M and KCI to help you manage every stage of skin health. Below, we provide a detailed breakdown of these essential products, explaining exactly what they are, how they work, and when you should use them.

1. Prevention: The Cavilon Range

Healthy skin starts with a strong barrier. Skin that is constantly exposed to body fluids, friction, or medical adhesives is at high risk of breakdown. The Cavilon range is engineered to provide a breathable, protective layer that defends the skin against these external aggressors.

Cavilon No Sting Barrier Film

• What it is: A completely alcohol-free liquid barrier film that dries quickly to form a transparent, breathable coating on the skin.
• Detailed Application: This is the gold standard for protecting peri-wound skin (the skin surrounding a wound). When wounds exude fluid, that moisture can soften the healthy skin around it, causing it to turn white and break down (maceration). Cavilon No Sting Barrier Film prevents this by sealing the skin.
• Why it stands out: Because it contains no alcohol, it does not sting when applied to broken or irritated skin—a massive benefit for patient comfort. It protects against adhesive trauma (stripping) from tapes and dressings for up to 72 hours.

Cavilon Durable Barrier Cream

• What it is: A concentrated, therapeutic cream that provides durable, long-lasting protection from body fluids.
• Detailed Application: This is an essential product for managing Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis (IAD). Unlike standard moisturizers, this barrier cream resists wash-off. This means you do not need to reapply it after every episode of incontinence, which significantly reduces the burden on nursing staff while ensuring continuous protection for the patient.
• Why it stands out: It allows adhesives to stick to the skin. Many barrier creams are too greasy, causing tapes and dressings to fall off. Cavilon Durable Barrier Cream absorbs into the skin, allowing tapes to adhere securely while still offering moisture protection.

3M Cavilon Advanced Skin Protectant

• What it is: A high-endurance skin protectant designed for high-risk or already damaged skin.
• Detailed Application: When skin damage is severe—such as Category 2 pressure injuries or severe IAD—standard creams may not be enough. This advanced protectant uses a unique polymer-cyanoacrylate system to attach to the skin surface, creating an ultra-thin, highly durable barrier.
• Why it stands out: It can attach to wet, weeping surfaces. This makes it invaluable for protecting skin around ostomies, drainage tubes, or wounds with high fluid output where other barriers fail to stick.

Cavilon Extra Dry Skin Cream

• What it is: A lipid-rich moisturizing cream for general skin maintenance.
• Detailed Application: Prevention requires hydration. Dry, scaly skin is prone to cracking, which opens the door for infection. This cream is ideal for daily use on rough areas like heels and elbows to restore the skin's natural moisture barrier.
• Why it stands out: It soothes and softens rough skin immediately and provides 24-hour moisturization, making it a simple but effective tool in preventing skin tears.

2. Protection and Healing: Tegaderm Dressings

When a wound does occur, or when an IV site needs to be secured, visibility and breathability are the key priorities. You need to see the site to monitor for infection, but you also need to keep contaminants out.

Tegaderm Film Dressing

• The Clinical Standard: Tegaderm is one of the most recognized names in hospital care. It is a sterile, transparent film dressing that provides a waterproof barrier to external contaminants including liquids, bacteria, and viruses.
• Why it’s essential: It allows for continuous visual inspection of the IV site or wound without removing the dressing. This reduces unnecessary dressing changes, lowers costs, and minimizes the risk of introducing infection during changes. It maintains a moist wound environment, which has been clinically proven to facilitate faster healing.

Tegaderm Silicone Foam Border Dressing

• The Gentle Option: Patients with fragile, parchment-like skin (common in aged care) are at risk of skin tears when strong adhesives are removed.
• Why it’s essential: This dressing combines the absorbency of foam with the gentleness of silicone. The silicone adhesive minimizes pain and trauma during dressing changes. It also features a unique multi-layer design that absorbs and evaporates moisture, making it highly effective for managing pressure injuries, lower leg ulcers, and other wounds with low-to-moderate exudate.

3. Managing Heavy Exudate: Kerramax

Some wounds, particularly chronic venous leg ulcers, produce a significant amount of fluid (exudate). If this fluid sits on the wound, it effectively "drowns" the tissue, preventing healing.

Kerramax Care Super Absorbent

• High Performance Absorption: This dressing is a powerhouse. It uses Exu-Safe™ technology to absorb and retain high levels of exudate—locking it away inside the dressing so it cannot leak back onto the skin.
• Why it’s essential: It locks away not just fluid, but also bacteria and Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) that can stall wound healing. Because it is so absorbent, it often allows for longer wear times, meaning fewer dressing changes for the patient and less disruption to their day. It works effectively under compression bandaging, making it a go-to choice for leg ulcer management.

The Biofast Difference

Whether you are managing stock for a large residential aged care facility or caring for a loved one at home, having the right skin integrity products on hand is non-negotiable.

Shop our full range of Wound Care solutions here and ensure you have the best protection available.