Quitting Mastisol... Switching to FlexiFix :))
This time, I spread my wipe-on protectant ('Skin-Prep') on a taller and longer area, allowing for a strip of Flexifix to cover the most of the "upper" half of the Sensor's adhesive pad. This is not complete coverage; The Transmitter and bottom half of the adhesive pad are still exposed to open air. But across the top half, I've got a horizontal strip of Smith & Nephew "FlexiFix". It's 4" long (the width of the 'wide' roll which I bought), and it's about 1" tall.
That size provides about 1/2" of skin contact at the tallest part of the Dexcom oval, and increases skin coverage as the Dexcom pad gets less tall (towards the edges). My Flexifix strip length is the entire 4" width of the "wide" package, so that leaves about 1/2" extra at the ends (sideways), where it's completely on skin. I'm now on day 10, which is about when I'd begin to see tiny bits of black muck at the edges of the Dexcom adhesive pad. (With Skin-Prep applied underneath, but nothing else). Often, during days 10-14, I've needed to "patch up" the edges of my Sensor adhesive pads....
And Mastisol, once used, requires a strong chemical "remover" to take it off. Also, it isn't (for me) a permanent fix, and often needs a re-application a few days later. So for me, this looks like better performance, quicker to do, and easier on my skin, and permanent: A total winner.
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BTW, it's not due to less physical activity while wearing this particular Sensor: We just had a Class-2 Hurricane in my neighborhood (wind and rain, but inland, without "storm surge" tides). I'm wrassling several of busted-up fence posts, along with all the rails, planks, and battens which had been mounted on them. :((
That size provides about 1/2" of skin contact at the tallest part of the Dexcom oval, and increases skin coverage as the Dexcom pad gets less tall (towards the edges). My Flexifix strip length is the entire 4" width of the "wide" package, so that leaves about 1/2" extra at the ends (sideways), where it's completely on skin. I'm now on day 10, which is about when I'd begin to see tiny bits of black muck at the edges of the Dexcom adhesive pad. (With Skin-Prep applied underneath, but nothing else). Often, during days 10-14, I've needed to "patch up" the edges of my Sensor adhesive pads....
And Mastisol, once used, requires a strong chemical "remover" to take it off. Also, it isn't (for me) a permanent fix, and often needs a re-application a few days later. So for me, this looks like better performance, quicker to do, and easier on my skin, and permanent: A total winner.
- - - - -
BTW, it's not due to less physical activity while wearing this particular Sensor: We just had a Class-2 Hurricane in my neighborhood (wind and rain, but inland, without "storm surge" tides). I'm wrassling several of busted-up fence posts, along with all the rails, planks, and battens which had been mounted on them. :((
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rickst29 on
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Fascinating! I LOVE the idea of less tape. Do you wear the same band for the entire 2 weeks, or do you switch to alternate ones after they get sweaty? And also - can you wash them in a "cold/delicate" machine cycle, or do you have to do genuine hand washing?
I assume that an automatic clothes dryer is a bad idea. Am I right about that? -
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Permalink Reply by etta amy on -
You can hand wash them whenever they need "freshening up." I wouldn't put it in the clothes dryer. It's important to get the right measurement so it stays in place. Worked great on my arm. Got a thigh band and found that more challenging to keep in place, due to pants rubbing. I am thinking of resewing it to make it a bit tighter.
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Permalink Reply by MegaMinxX on -
I've been using hypafix dressing, which I think it similar to flexifix, but cheaper.
Hypafix is similar to the white 'fabric' tape on the dexcom sensor itself. I found the 4in X 11 yds at amazon for 14.50.
I cut a hole as others have said, and just cover the tape part of the dexcom sensor. -
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Permalink Reply by Don on -
The same 4" strip of flexifix along the top edge works fine for me also. Like others I got it at Amer Diabetes Wholesale. I don't know well it would hold past 11 days which is the longest so far that I've been able to keep a sensor working.
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