BK cover ~ responses

BK cover ~ responses

9/16/2005

Hi Everyone,



I was asked by a few of you to post my responses. I have chosen to not
include the manufacturers' input...my goal is objective opinions.



Have a great weekend!



Lisa Schoonmaker, CPO







We did a brief trial a few years back and found that the shoe colour

sprays did a fantastic job of colouring most foams and a lot of other

surfaces used for cosmetic covers (silicon skins excepted). Combinations
of the colours gave a fantastic skin tone (base pink with a

tan and burgandy light spray gave that ruddy old skin look) Best thing
was that they were so easy to spray and touch up when the

inevitable scratch/scuff happens as well as keeping their colour ...



I can send some pictures if you want



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Try the skins from RL Steeper, sold through Liberating Technologies.
Very interesting. I've only used one, and there is a bit of a learning
curve (I can probably save you some time by describing the things I did
wrong). They are available in both split toe and non-split. These are
new to me, but a new patient of mine has been using them for years. As
active as this patient is, they seem quite durable. I was surprised at
how easy they went on. The glue does need to sit for at least 24 hours,
and, of course, they have their own special adhesive. The adhesive does
come included with the skin. After I butchered the first skin, Robin,
the sales rep, replaced it for free. Call if you have any other
questions.





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You should have someone custom skin the prosthesis. I use New Life skin
and custom skin each patient and add freckles, toenails, hair etc.. I
normally do these for my patients only but an occasional skin for a
college of mine. They can last as long as five years sometimes. With
pictures you can get a very close match. This is far superior to the
skins by any of the normal sources. These are applied directly to the
prosthesis and are not a pull up skin.



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WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE DREAMSKIN FROM

FILLAUER, PTS. SEEM TO LIKE THE APPEARANCE AND IT HAS

BEEN MORE DURABLE THAN THE DAWSKIN AND IT HAS TOES ON

IT FOR YOUR APPLICATION. PRICE IS EQUIVALENT TO

DAWSKIN.



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I have been working together with a company from U.K. for seminars in
Europe and they have a nice silicone cosmesis. The name of the company
is Dorset Orhtopedic and they will have a booth at the AOPA meeting in
Las Vegas so if you go you will have the opportunity to see these nice
cosmesis Looking forward to see you there



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I've been happy with the Dermatos from Alathia. I've only been using
them for 9 months, so no real long term results, but so far they have
held up well. They go one easy and if you use their UFO glue they
actually stay on.



I also liked the Skinergy skins, but found that nothing I did (even, for
a change, following the manufacturers directions) kept them up. There
was some wear in the heal area when people wore sandals (as would be

expected) but other than that they were also fairly tough skins that
looked good.



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I propose if you feel comfortable shaping the cover yourself, that you
also

spray your own skin if you have access to a paint gun. We had used
u-flate

skins for years and I've just began to spray my own using Nu skin from
PEL.

It requires a little extra time but the result is a skin that is very

durable, resists fading and you have the ability to touch up the skin
from

time to time if necessary. I would suggest good ventilation but the
process

itself is utterly idiot proof with some simple suggestions to work from.
The

patients I've skinned have turned out great and with a little practice
you

can easliy give the illusion of leg hair for the men. If you'de like any


more info or directions feel free to e-mail me back at my sending
address. I

have yet to find a skin that delivers the kind of result that so many of
our

patients desire-as always if you want something done right you're always


left to do the task yourself.



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From my experience, the DAW skins work very well and last the

>longest....but

it is DAW and they are a pain to have to put up with their constant
sales calls.



Proximally I use an elastic/cloth finishing material..they sell a 75
meter

roll of the stuff in buff that will last years. Makes the finishing
look

good and is durable.