Why do HARTMANN’s skin friendly products help to protect our skin?

1. The structure of aged skin

With a surface of 2 m², the skin is the largest human organ and serves an extremely important role in maintaining a person’s health and well-being. The skin acts as a physical barrier against bacteria and fungi to protect the body from infections and diseases, while maintaining fluid levels inside the body and regulating temperature. With a pH value around  5.5, the skin’s outer mantle is slightly acidic.

As skin becomes older the thickness of the outer layer decreases steadily, and the skin becomes less able to produce moisture-storing epidermal fats. As a result skin becomes drier, flakier and partially extremely thin. Small cuts and tears occur easier and often take a longer time to heal, because elderly skin only regenerates half as quickly as young skin.

2. HARTMANN’s “Skin Friendly” Solution to incontinence related skin problems

• Elderly skin is often unable to fully achieve its barrier function and allergens can penetrate more easily into the deeper skin layers. This can cause contact allergies with a subsequent eczematic skin condition for continence suffer.
   MoliCare Premium, MoliCare Comfort and MoliForm have all been clinically proven as hypoallergenic even for people with sensitive atopic skin.
• A loose cell structure as well as a weak acid protection mantle primary causes moist skin. This makes bacterial penetration of the skin more prolific.
  But the HARTMANN Moli product range has a unique 3 part absorbent core which ensures high absorbencies, low leakage and dry skin. The unique construction makes HARTMANN products not only the most effective in managing incontinence, but also the most skin friendly products on the market.
• Standard ‘foaming’ alkaline detergents remove the acid protection mantle and the skin’s natural lipids, weakening its barrier function.
  HARTMANN products have a unique curly fibre top layer which provides a strong “pH buffer” and “antibacterial effect”, maintaining the pH value around 5.5 and supporting the skin’s natural protection mechanism.
• Heat and sweat generally weaken the cell-structure and bacteria-limiting acidity of skin. Bacteria can therefore penetrate causing redness and irritations, leading to occlusion in the hip area.
  MoliCare Premium and MoliCare Comfort contain unique Air Active side panels to maintain a dry and healthy skin climate. The non-woven fabric side panels allow air and sweat to circulate, preventing the skin from swelling.
• Ammonia, which emerges from the decomposition of urine, damages the acid protection mantle of the skin, besides its unpleasant odour.
  Special “superabsorber-molecules” in HARTMANN’s Moli product range reduce ammonia production and neutralise unpleasant odour.

Benefits of the “Skin Friendly” Moli range

42.5 %  of all patients with incontinence suffer from skin irritations or Incontinence associated dermatitis (IAD) in the crotch area. These problems are caused by moisture and aggressive excretion substances, against which the skin is often left vulnerable due to age and the stress of frequent washing.
In response to this need for technologically advanced products that manage incontinence episodes while maintaining an environment that promotes healthy skin, PAUL HARTMANN Pty Ltd has developed Australia’s first range of dermatologically tested incontinence products for those at risk of IAD. The products also have the mentioned pH buffer that helps maintain the skin at its natural pH level of 5.5. The reduction of skin irritations and skin problems related to incontinence provides patients more comfort and care and increases the quality of life for Aged Care residents.