This is because manufacturers are not required to set or advise of any expiry date for bandages in most cases. ![]() The vast majority of bandages do not have any kind of printed expiration date, with the exceptions being certain ones with an adhesive component or perhaps impregnated antibiotic or hemostatic agents. ![]() Warning Signs of Low or No Bandage “Life” If the bandages in your first-aid kit get drenched from precipitation, immersion in water, or just from perspiration off your body (in the case of an on body EDC kit), it is likely that the adhesive and fabric components both will be negatively affected, and sterility may be compromised.Īlso, anytime the interior of your first-aid kit is contaminated by dust, dirt, or other debris this has the potential to abrade and subsequently degrade or even compromise the packaging of your bandages, if they are packed, and thus shorten their lifespan. Moisture is the perennial enemy of all kinds of soft gear, bandages included. Freezing temperatures make bandages difficult to handle, inflexible and brittle, greatly stressing the fabrics.ĭepending on the quality and specific make of an adhesive bandage, that adhesive might not react well to extremely cold temperatures, losing its stickiness entirely or behaving erratically when you need it. If the bandages in your kit are exposed to extreme temperature spikes, let us say, for instance, due to being kept in a car sitting in a parking lot in the middle of summer, it is highly likely they will begin to break down, especially if they have any adhesive components.Ĭold weather too is also a problem, especially in conjunction with any moisture infiltration. Weather / Environmental FactorsĪs you probably already guessed, ambient conditions and weather will also play a big part in how long your bandages will remain a viable tool in your life saving first-aid kit. Over time, the bandages in your first-aid kit will be subjected to hot and cold, humidity and extreme dryness, and countless bumps, jostles, and other impacts that result in friction forces being imparted to the bandage itself.Īll of these things will however slowly wear your bandages out without ever taking them out of the package. ![]() Not forever.īeing made of simple woven fibers (or a fiber pad affixed to an adhesive strap or backing) the simple passage of time will eventually degrade the performance of any bandage. The first thing you should understand about the bandages in your first-aid kit is that they will not endure. There is a surprising number of factors to consider, and in the rest of this article we will be going through them. So why you might say that most bandages don’t technically expire, they can go bad over time, especially when they have been neglected or left in bad conditions. ![]() Specialized bandages with impregnated medicines or blood-clotting agents can expire as usual, however. Simple gauze or wrap bandages might lose their sterility over time, and will definitely be vulnerable to aging via mold and general decay.īandages with adhesive components are vulnerable to aging due to adhesive breakdown and other factors. No, bandages don’t expire, but they do degrade over time. But what about the other, more mundane supplies in the kit? What about bandages? new bandages (left) next to older ones (right) Ointments lose their potency, medications go stale or expire, and antibiotics can spoil. Any prepper with even a modicum of first-aid training will pay close attention to the status and shelf life of the items in his first-aid kit.
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