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Bandages with PFAS "forever chemicals"

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Do your “band-aids” or bandages have indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” inside the absorbent pad or adhesive flaps? This is exactly what the Mamavation community asked us and we had no idea, so we started testing different bandage products to find out. Mamavation sent several types of bandages off to an EPA-certified lab to ascertain whether consumers were being exposed to PFAS when they were bandaging up open wounds. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like salt products safe from heavy metals, safest cookware, and best water purification systems to get out PFAS “forever chemicals,” now join us for our latest consumer study on bandages for wound care.

Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Scientific reviews were performed by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, & (2) Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar at Residence at Duke University, North Carolina University, & Yale University. This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. Affiliate links from this post are mostly to Amazon where Mamavation earns a small portion of that sale. Mamavation uses affiliate revenue and ad revenue from Mamavation.com to pay for testing and fund other consumer investigations in the future. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you for supporting Mamavation! Copyright © 2024 Mamavation — All Rights Reserved

 

Bandages that do not contain PFAS "forever chemicals"

Mamavation Laboratory Finds Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Popular Bandage Brands like “Band-Aid”

Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory found indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” after analyzing popular bandages on the market today. PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that have been used for many decades as stain-resistant, oil-resistant, grease-resistant, & water-resistant chemicals in commerce. From our vantage point, it looks as if some brands in the bandage industry are using PFAS for their waterproof qualities.

PFAS are found in many other areas of our homes with some examples being cookware, makeup, drinking water, contact lenses & dental floss. These chemicals are linked to serious health effects, which we will discuss later. Because PFAS are so toxic, Mamavation has commissioned our own scientific studies on indications of PFAS in products to make recommendations for bandages using PFAS-free materials. Read Mamavation’s articles (see below) on these products to find which brands are organic-fluorine-free.

For this consumer study, Mamavation sent 40 bandages from 18 brands to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for indications of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.”  Here’s what we found:

  • 65% of total bandages tested had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals.” 26 detections out of 40 bandages tested had organic fluorine above 10 parts per million (ppm) according to our lab,
  • 63% of bandages marketed to People of Color with black & brown skin tones had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals.” That’s 10 detections out of 16 bandages tested had organic fluorine above 10 ppm according to our lab.
  • Ranges of organic fluorine, a marker for PFAS, were from 11 ppm to 328 ppm. 

Linda Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, and Adjunct Professor at both University of North Carolina, & Yale University had this to say: “Because bandages are placed upon open wounds, it’s troubling to learn that they may be also exposing children and adults to PFAS. It’s obvious from the data that PFAS are not needed for wound care, so it’s important that the industry remove their presence to protect the public from PFAS and opt instead for PFAS-free materials.”

Active small girl playing and cycling outdoors fell down of her bike

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Have Problematic Health Effects

PFAS “forever chemicals” are problematic for human health and the environment. They are considered ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic. In fact, many of these PFAS chemicals can last for years or decades in our bodies. The health effects from exposure to PFAS on open wounds are unknown, but this would be a unique way for them to easily get into our bodies. It’s also unknown what happens when PFAS get absorbed into our tissues and travels around in our bodies. However, we do know that these areas can be vulnerable to toxic chemicals like PFAS “forever chemicals” in general. Therefore, it’s imperative to reduce the amount of PFAS you are exposed to from food, water, and consumer products like bandages. Mamavation is dedicated to helping you do that when you are shopping for bandages.

Here are some of the health effects associated with different PFAS “forever chemicals:”

It’s also very clear based on biomonitoring evidence from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that PFAS are in all Americans. Therefore, these exposures can harm most Americans.

Portrait of emotional African-American boy on orange background

How Are PFAS Finding Their Way Into Bandages?

An adhesive bandage is typically a flexible sheet of material with an absorbent pad in the middle and adhesive attached to sides that can be affixed on the skin to catch blood & serum and prevent anything from seeping into an open wound. The absorbent pad is placed against the open wound and the overlapping edges stick to the skin. They are generally sealed in a package and come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

We already know that the medical industry has long been using PFAS “forever chemicals” in products like “catheters, stents, and needles, as well as transdermal patches that are used for medicine delivery” according to 3M. 3M has announced they will no longer be in the PFAS business as of the end of 2025. We were able to confirm this by testing 3M medical tape. Our EPA-certified laboratory informed us their product was non-detect for PFAS indicators.

According to the Green Science Policy Institute, adhesives themselves sometimes do contain PFAS to increase wettability and penetration of the substrate, resulting in a stronger bond. Mamavation may have confirmed this by finding indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” in the adhesive sticky portion of several bandages. We were not able to separate the adhesive from the bandage in the lab, but we were able to find that the flaps had PFAS indicators present. We also found indications of PFAS inside the absorbent pads as well. We noticed that many transdermal patches use the same type of absorbent pad as we found in these popular bandages, so we believe this may be a similar type of product as used in bandages and thus made in a similar way. However, it’s impossible to know if your bandage has PFAS inside by just looking at them. This is why it was so important for us to test.

Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University had this to say: “It is discouraging to find yet another important product space, bandaids or bandages, containing PFAS compounds where transfers into users are conceivable. PFAS compounds deserve the “forever chemicals” name, such that when PFAS-containing bandaids and bandages are discarded post-use, the final resting places will be contaminated into the indefinite future. This is another Mamavation study serving beautifully to guide moms toward reducing PFAS exposures for their families and the wider world.”

Cute toddler boy fell on park road and watching at the camera

Other Known Industries Using PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

PFAS chemicals have been used for decades to create stain resistance, water resistance, and grease-proof qualities in products to which they are added. If you’ve heard of coatings such as “Teflon” on cookware, fabrics made from “Gore-Tex” or treatments on carpets like STAINMASTER®, you’ve already heard about PFAS chemicals. Here’s more of what you may not have been aware of:

5 year old boy practicing skate in his backyard, stumbling and falling to the ground.

Other Categories of Products Mamavation Has Tested for Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

Before we launch into the raw data from our lab, we wanted to remind you about all the other studies we have done on indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” inside the food and consumer products you may bring into your home. Each one of these studies were performed in a similar fashion as this study with brands sent independently to the lab and the raw data of those labs presented at the bottom of the post.

Boy after falling down getting muddy is crying

Mamavation’s Investigation of Bandages & Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

Bandages were purchased & donated from community members between November 2022 and February 2024 from either Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Target, or from Amazon. A few additional products were donated by the brands themselves, but unfortunately, they all had detections so we made sure to include them as well. Each product was recorded in our database and then sent directly to the lab within its original packaging. For most products we were able to test both the absorbent pad and adhesive flaps, but close to the end we ran out of funds and were only able to test one part if there was a detection. However, any brand that was categorized as “best” had both parts tested and confirmed as non-detect. We also included one medical tape product.

Testing: Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory uses marker testing to identify the potential presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” in bandages. Organic fluorine is a marker for PFAS because all PFAS chemicals are carbon-based compounds that contain fluorine. The specific lab method used to test for total fluorine was the Determination of Total Fluorine by Oxygen Flask Combustion and Ion-Selective Electrode. If total fluorine was observed at a detection level of 10 ppm or greater, the lab did the Determination of free Fluoride Ion in the product by Ion-Selective Electrode and then subtracted that from the Total Fluorine to determine the amount of organic fluorine. This marker testing is likely to show the presence of PFAS. Organic fluorine can also capture other fluoropolymers, pharmaceuticals, and common hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (commonly known as R-134a) and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (commonly known as HFO-1234yf), which are all also PFAS.  None of which you want around your food, or personal care products like bandages!

Scott Belcher, Ph.D. & Associate Professor with the Center for Environmental & Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University says “fluoropolymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),  are extremely common forms of PFAS that could be contributing to the organic fluorine found in bandages. Methods used for detecting individual PFAS, such as PFOA or GenX, cannot directly identify PTFE. However, the analysis of total organic fluorine (TOF) does account for all PFAS contaminants in bandages, including PTFE. Therefore, this method of testing serves as a good ‘spot-check’ of consumer products.”

Raw Data From Mamavation’s Bandage Consumer Study

Not Our Favorite Bandages

These products were sent off to an EPA-certified laboratory and organic fluorine was detected above 100 ppm in either the absorbent pad or the adhesive flaps. * are all brands selling products marketed to People of Color with black and brown skin tones.

  • Band-Aid Flexible Fabric Comfortable Protection Bandages (older sample that was likely 7-8 years old and not available in stores anymore) — 188 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad. (Make note if you have older Band-Aids in your cabinet.)
  • *Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR45 Bandages — 262 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad.
  • *Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR55 Bandages — 250 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad.
  • *Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR65 Bandages — 260 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pads and 374 ppm on the sticky flaps. 2nd product tested had 169 ppm on the absorbent pad.
  • Care Science Antibacterial Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages — 328 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect organic fluorine on the absorbent pad.
  • Curad Assorted Bandaids 4-Sided Seal — 140 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect on the absorbent pad.
  • *CVS Health C60 Flexible Fabric Antibacterial Bandages — 201 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad.
  • *CVS Health C70 Flexible Fabric Sterile Bandages — 124 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and 272 ppm on the sticky flaps. 2nd product tested had 156 ppm organic fluorine in the absorbent pad.
  • *CVS Health C80 Flexible Fabric Antibacterial Bandages — 128 ppm organic fluorine in the absorbent pad.
  • Equate (Walmart) Flexible Fabric Bandages Antibacterial — 118 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and 165 ppm on the sticky flaps.
  • *Equate (Walmart) SKIN TONE Antibacterial Bandages Flexible Fabric (darkest shade) — 197 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and 251 ppm on the sticky flaps. 2nd product tested was 183 ppm on the absorbent pad.
  • *Equate (Walmart) SKIN TONE Antibacterial Bandages Flexible Fabric (medium to dark shade) — 112 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad. (Matches black and brown skin tones)
  • *Equate (Walmart) SKIN TONE Antibacterial Bandages Flexible Fabric (medium to light shade) — 120 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad. (Matches black and brown skin tones)
  • First Honey Manuka Bandages — 157 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect on the absorbent pad.
  • Rite Aid First Aid Advanced Antibacterial Fabric Adhesive Bandages — 101 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and 181 parts per million (ppm) in the sticky flaps.
  • Solimo (Amazon Brand) Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages — 104 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect on the absorbent pad.
  • UP & UP (Target) Flexible Fabric Bandages — 256 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and 253 parts per million (ppm) on the sticky flaps.

Better Bandages

These bandages had less than 100 parts per million (ppm) of organic fluorine detected in either the absorbent pad or the adhesive flaps. * are all brands selling products marketed to People of Color with black and brown skin tones.

  • Band-Aid Water Block Tough-Strips Waterproof Adhesive Bandages — 13 ppm organic fluorine in the sticky flaps and non-detect in the absorbent pad.
  • *Browndages Bandages for Brown Skin All One Size — 14 ppm on the absorbent pad.
  • CVS Health Gentle Fabric Hypoallergenic Bandages Large — 10 ppm organic fluorine on the absorbent pad and non-detect results on the sticky flaps.
  • CVS Health Waterproof Adhesive Bandages — 20 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect on the absorbent pad.
  • CVS Health Waterproof Heavy Duty Antibacterial Bandages — 11 ppm on the absorbent pad and non-detect on the sticky flaps.
  • Dealmed Flexible Fabric Bandages — 99 ppm organic fluorine on the sticky flaps and non-detect on the absorbent pad.
  • Dry See Thin Film Waterproof Dressing Pad with Wetness Indicator 001 2.75×2.5 — 11 ppm organic fluorine on absorbent pad
  • Dry See Thin Film Waterproof Dressing Pad with Wetness Indicator 007 larger one 4.6×4 — 12 ppm organic fluorine on absorbent pad
  • Rite Aid Smart-Flex Sterile Bandages — 11 ppm in the absorbent pad and non-detect in the sticky flaps.

Best Bandages

These bandages had NO detections of organic fluorine in both their absorbent pads and adhesive flaps. The detection limit of this testing was 10 ppm. * are all brands selling products marketed to People of Color with black and brown skin tones.

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