Roughly 65% of bandages on the market contain forever chemicals

Earlier this month, Environmental Health News partnered with Mamavation, a consumer watchdog site, to analyze the use of forever chemicals in bandages, including the popular Band-Aid brand. The study revealed that 65% of the 40 bandages tested contained forever chemicals, implying potential risks to human health.

Mamavation sent 40 bandages from 18 brands to a lab for chemical testing. Twenty-six of the 40 bandages tested had organic fluorine levels over 10 parts per million (ppm). Additionally, of the 16 bandages made for individuals with black and brown skin tones, 10 (63%) contained organic fluorine levels over 10 ppm. The actual concentration of fluorine varied from 11 to 328 ppm.

According to Mamavation, the following bandage brands had organic fluorine levels over 100 ppm:

• Band-Aid: Flexible Fabric Comfortable Protection Bandages, OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR45 Bandages, OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR55 Bandages, and OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR65 Bandages
• Care Science Antibacterial Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages
• Curad Assorted Bandaids 4-Sided Seal 
• CVS Health: C60 Flexible Fabric Antibacterial Bandages, C70 Flexible Fabric Sterile Bandages, and C80 Flexible Fabric Antibacterial Bandages 
• Equate (Walmart): Flexible Fabric Bandages Antibacterial, SKIN TONE Antibacterial Bandages Flexible Fabric
• First Honey Manuka Bandages
• Rite Aid First Aid Advanced Antibacterial Fabric Adhesive Bandages
• Solimo (Amazon Brand) Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages 
• UP & UP (Target) Flexible Fabric Bandages

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has linked exposure to forever chemicals to multiple health risks, including cancer, infertility, developmental issues, and more. While more data is needed to assess the impacts of forever chemical skin exposure, some researchers postulate that absorption through open wounds can be troubling.

 “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,” 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, told Mamavation.

While some of the brands contained lower concentrations of organic fluorine, the report identified multiple brands with non-detectable levels of organic fluorine, including 3M Micropore Surgical/Medical Tape, All Terrain Neon Kids Bandage, Band-Aid Hello Kitty Assorted Adhesive Bandages, CVS Sterile Manuka Honey Sports Bandages, FEBU Organic Bamboo Strip Bandages, Patch Bamboo Bandages for Kids with Coconut Oil, TRU COLOUR Skin tone Bandages Diversity in Healing, Trutone Skin Tone Adhesive Bandages, Welly Good Vibes Bravery Badges, and Welly Waterproof Bravery Assorted Waterproof Bandages.