‘Waterproof’ bandages rarely are, Consumers Union says

Several manufacturers market bandages touted as being waterproof, but those claims, like the bandages themselves, rarely hold water, the Consumers Union said Tuesday. All of the bandages leak at least some of the time and many leak most of the time, the consumer group said.

The group tested eight brands of waterproof bandages, asking a panel of 33 people to wear each bandage on a finger for four hours, washing their hands twice and flexing their fingers hourly. The hands were then dipped into room-temperature coffee for 15 to 20 seconds and the pads checked for coffee stains.

Only the Band-Aid Clear and the Nexcare Clear kept out water more than 60% of the time. The Nexcare product leaked about a quarter of the time and the Band-Aid 40% of the time. The lowest rated products, Up & Up Heavy Duty and Curad Flexible Athletic Strip, leaked more than 85% of the time.

A good seal against water is important because liquids can carry germs to cuts and scrapes, increasing the odds of an infection. If the bandage gets wet, doctors say, change it.

Thomas H. Maugh II / Los Angeles Times