Is it appropriate to use adult diapers (incontinence briefs) as a dressing for burns?

Adult Diapers Should Never Be Used as Burn Dressings

Adult diapers (incontinence briefs) should not be used as dressings for burns under any circumstances, as they are not sterile, may contain irritating chemicals, and are not designed for wound care. 1 Instead, proper burn care requires specific sterile dressings and antimicrobial treatments to prevent infection and promote healing.

Appropriate Burn Dressings

According to burn care guidelines, proper burn wound management includes:

• Non-adherent sterile dressings: Burns should be covered with sterile, non-adherent dressings applied loosely 1
• Antimicrobial treatments: A thin layer (approximately 1/16 inch) of 1% silver sulfadiazine cream is recommended for second and third-degree burns 1
• Regular dressing changes: Dressings should be changed once to twice daily or whenever the antimicrobial cream has been removed by patient activity 1

Why Adult Diapers Are Inappropriate

Adult diapers are problematic for burn care for several reasons:

• Not sterile: Burns require sterile dressings to prevent infection, which is the leading cause of burn wound mortality 2
• Contain chemicals: Diapers contain absorbent materials and chemicals designed for urine absorption, not wound care 3
• Trap moisture: The moisture-trapping design of diapers creates an environment conducive to bacterial growth
• Lack antimicrobial properties: Unlike proper burn dressings, diapers don't contain antimicrobial agents necessary for burn care

Proper Burn Care Protocol

The burn care guidelines recommend this approach:

1. Assessment: Determine burn depth and Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) affected 1

2. Cleansing: Gently irrigate wounds with warmed sterile water, saline, or dilute chlorhexidine (1/5000) 1

3. Blister management:

   • Keep blisters intact to maintain a sterile environment and reduce infection risk
   • If necessary, decompress by piercing with a sterile needle, leaving the roof intact 1

4. Antimicrobial application: Apply silver sulfadiazine or other appropriate antimicrobial agents 1

5. Proper dressing: Use sterile, non-adherent dressings 1

When to Seek Specialist Care

Refer to a burn specialist if burns:

• Involve face, hands, feet, genitalia, or perineum
• Are full-thickness burns
• Exceed 10% TBSA in children or 20% TBSA in adults 1

Infection Prevention

Infection remains the leading cause of burn wound mortality 2. To prevent infection:

• Use appropriate antimicrobial treatments
• Maintain sterile technique during dressing changes
• Monitor for signs of infection (increasing pain, redness, swelling, discharge, fever)
• Do not use systemic antibiotic prophylaxis routinely 1

Adult diapers provide none of these infection prevention benefits and may actually increase infection risk due to their non-sterile nature and moisture-trapping properties.