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Should you’re bodily lively, sweat so much, or your pores and skin simply doesn’t get together with the adhesives of your Steady Glucose Monitor (CGM), you undoubtedly know the frustration of the CGM tape peeling and your sensor being prone to falling off.
This has been an enormous downside for me prior to now. Not solely do I reside in Miami (with summer season year-round), however I’m very lively and the CGM tape of my Dexcom G7 merely can’t sustain with my way of life.
Additionally, the Dexcom G7 overlay tape makes my pores and skin break into hives.
My answer is so as to add a smooth cloth patch over my sensor to increase its lifetime, be sure that it doesn’t fall off, and stop pores and skin reactions.
However not all patches are created equal and, on this put up, I’ll present you why Pores and skin Grip is my favourite go-to patch.
This put up is sponsored by Pores and skin Grip, however the opinions are my very own and I used Pores and skin Grip patches earlier than they grew to become a sponsor.
What I search for in a CGM patch
In terms of CGM patches, an important components for me are
- Consolation
- Ease of use
- Affordability
- The design
Patch Consolation
I’ve very delicate pores and skin and most patches, together with the Dexcom G7 overlay tape, will make my pores and skin angrily purple and itchy.
Due to that, I all the time search for patches that may enable my pores and skin to breathe however the place the glue remains to be sturdy sufficient that the patch will keep on for a minimum of 10 days, however not so sturdy that it’s going to take my pores and skin off once I peel off the patch.
There are various completely different choices obtainable, and the patches are usually both:
- a paper or plastic-like materials
- a material materials (like Pores and skin Grip)
I’ve discovered that the paperlike materials could be very stiff so it doesn’t persist with the pores and skin as properly and can begin to peel inside a number of days.
The plastic, alternatively, will keep on for a very long time, however my pores and skin clearly doesn’t prefer it and can look purple and irritated throughout the first day.
So I are likely to gravitate in direction of cloth patches that Pores and skin Grip offers.
Some have urged that I simply add some Pores and skin Tac Glue (an extra physique adhesive) beneath among the different patches to make them stick higher. I assume I may do this, however why not select one that may stick comfortably by itself?
I do typically use an Adhesive remover. Uni-Clear up Adhesive Remover Wipes simply take away the patches and any residue adhesive after the ten days that the Dexcom G7 lasts.
Because the patch sticks so properly, it’s an effective way of simply eradicating the patch (particularly in the event you apply the patch in a spot with physique hair).
Patch Ease of Use
It clearly shouldn’t require a sophisticated diploma to use a CGM patch, however in case you have 10 thumbs like I do or like to position the patch in locations which can be onerous to succeed in (just like the again of the arm), it may be a little bit difficult.
With some patches, it’s fairly difficult to get the patch off the paper that protects the adhesive. Some patches, just like the Dexcom G7 overlay tape that comes within the field, even require that you just take away the entire piece of paper earlier than making use of it to the pores and skin.
The problem with eradicating all the paper is that now you might have a floppy and VERY sticky patch, and the probability of simply gluing the patch to itself is excessive (sure, I’ve executed that greater than as soon as).
What I like about Pores and skin Grip is that the paper comes off in 4-5 sections, so you possibly can select to take away one or not one of the paper items earlier than you apply the patch to the pores and skin.
I like to position it over the sensor after which take away one part, push it down on the pores and skin to verify it sticks, after which work my method round to the opposite sections. Works like a appeal and I haven’t needed to discard a single patch but from having it adhere to itself.
This methodology additionally implies that I can apply it with one hand, with out assist. So I can put on my sensor on my arm with out having to ask my husband for assist each time I need to change a patch.
You may see how I put the Pores and skin Grip on a Dexcom G6 on this video:
Patch Affordability
Let’s face it, residing with diabetes could be very costly in most nations, so CGM patches are usually not actually one thing I can spend a ton of cash on.
I’ve tried different patches with intricate designs, and they’re enjoyable, however I don’t need to spend $3-4 per patch frequently.
A pack of Pores and skin Grip patches is $24.99-29.99 and contains 20 single-use patches. That’s solely $1.25-$1.50 per patch, which could be very reasonably priced relative to the opposite patches presently obtainable available on the market.
Pores and skin Grip additionally launched some particular version patches (see their Traditional assortment). These are a bit dearer at $24.99 for 10 patches.
You should use code DIABETESSTRONG for 10% off on the Pores and skin Grip web site.
Design
The ultimate factor I think about in terms of patches is the design. That features how they’re reduce and what they appear to be.
For Dexcom G7, I choose an overlay tape with out the cutout for the transmitter, and Pores and skin Grip has that obtainable. It doesn’t cut back the sensor sign and it fully secures the sensor.
I additionally benefit from the vibrant colours; I don’t bear in mind the final time I purchased a “tan” overlay tape. If you wish to strive completely different colours, they’ve a “rainbow” pack with 10 completely different enjoyable colours.
The place to get your SkinGrip
SkinGrip will be bought on the SkinGrip web site or on Amazon. They supply patches for Dexcom G6 and G7, Medtronic Guardian and Enlite, Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 and three, Insulet OnmiPod and infusion units.
You should use code DIABETESSTRONG for 10% off on the Pores and skin Grib web site.
