Men's Liberty™ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I received my Men's Liberty™ supplies today. When should I start using them?
Start on a day that you are going to be home. Men's Liberty™ has a "learning curve", and you may go through 3 applications on the first day. Before getting started, make sure that you wash the groyne area with a non-moisturising bar of soap. Do not use liquid soaps. We recommend you watch this application video before your first use.
Q: What is the Men's Liberty™ Learning Curve?
A short wear time for the first application is normal. It generally takes 2 to 3 applications the first day to build up to a 24-hour wear time. As soon as the first one comes loose, apply a new one immediately.
Do not switch to an incontinence pants or pad otherwise, you will not be able to build up the wear time. Moisture trapped in the skin by condom catheters, incontinence pants, and pads interferes with Men's Liberty™'s seal and limits wear times of initial applications.
Can I wear Men’sLiberty™ longer than 24 hours?
The recommended wear time for Men’s Liberty™ is 24 hours. You can wear Men’sLiberty™ all day and all night. Many users suggest changing Men’s Liberty™ first thing in the morning or after a shower. You may find you can wear Men’s Liberty™ for longer than 24 hours. We recommend wearing Men’s Liberty™ up to 24 hours due to sanitary reasons as the anatomy should be cleaned regularly.
Q: Where does the Men's Liberty™ bag go?
The Men’s Liberty™ urine collection pouch needs to lay flat against the inside of one leg and placed below the anatomy to ensure proper flow of urine away from the body. Do not tuck the bag inside underwear as this may cause the bag to fold or kink blocking urine flow.
Q: What type of underwear should I use?
Make sure Men's Liberty™ is worn under loose-fitting boxers or shorts. Do not use restrictive or absorbent underwear with Men's Liberty™.
Q: How often should I empty the Men's Liberty™ bag?
The Men’s Liberty™ bag holds 227ml of fluid and should be emptied when it’s about 2/3 full. You do not want to over fill the bag, or it may back up and cause leaks. Men’s Liberty™ can be connected to any standard leg or bed side urine collection bag for additional capacity.
Q: How do I remove Men's Liberty™?
Men’s Liberty™ can be removed using warm non-moisturising, soapy water or FreeDerm® adhesive remover. A courtesy spray bottle comes with each order of a month or 3-month supply. FreeDerm® is recommended as it releases the Men’s Liberty™ hydrocolloid adhesive, is skin-friendly, and leaves no residue. Be sure to never pull or tear Men’s Liberty™ off the skin. Roll the adhesive off when it turns a milky white after using an adhesive remover or warm water.
Any time the Men’s Liberty™ separates from the skin or is removed, use FreeDerm® adhesive remover to avoid a build-up of hydrocolloid adhesive on the skin. Always wash and dry the anatomy with non-moisturising soap before the next application. It can sometimes take up to 15 minutes to remove the adhesive, so patience is important.
Q: I can't get my foreskin back to the natural resting position. What can I do?
You may use a small amount of Vaseline or some other lubricant on top of the adhesive to help ease it back to the natural resting position.
Q: My Men's Liberty™ doesn't stay on as long as it should. What should I do?
Always wash the anatomy with non-moisturising soap. Do not use liquid soaps as they contain moisturisers and will reduce adhesion or keep Men's Liberty™ from sealing to your skin.
Apply Men's Liberty™ to clean, dry skin. Men's Liberty™ will not seal to your skin if it is damp. Allow the BioPlus+™ Barrier wipe to completely dry before applying Men's Liberty™. BioPlus+™ feels sticky on the skin when it is wet. You will know the BioPlus+™ has dried completely when it is no longer sticky.
Do not use other absorbent products such as incontinence pants or pads at the same time you use Men’s Liberty™. These trap in moisture which will interfere with Men’s Liberty’s seal, shortening your wear time.
Q: I have allergies – can I wear Men's Liberty™?
If you have an allergy or sensitivity to adhesives and tapes, we recommend doing a skin test before using Men’s Liberty™. Cut a small piece of the hydrocolloid adhesive faceplate seal and place it on the inside of your forearm just below the elbow. If after about 3 or 4 hours there is no sign of irritation, you should be able to use the product. If you do experience irritation, stop using Men’s Liberty™, wait to heal before applying another.
Q: The BioPlus+ Barrier Wipe says "no sting" but it burns when I apply it. Is something wrong?
Some men may experience a slight stinging when using the BioPlus+™, however this sensation generally goes away once it dries. If the stinging sensation continues, stop the use of the BioPlus+™, wait to heal before using again. You can visit www.mensliberty.au for further product support information. Try the allergy test mentioned above with and without BioPlus+™. Men’s Liberty™ can be used without the BioPlus+™.
Q: I am not circumcised. Can I wear Men's Liberty™?
Uncircumcised men may use Men’s Liberty™ if they can retract the foreskin to expose the head of the penis. Use the KindKlamp™, penile clamp, to hold the foreskin back during application. If you cannot retract the foreskin, we do not recommend attaching Men’s Liberty™ over the foreskin without consulting your physician.
Q: What is hydrocolloid build-up?
The Men’s Liberty™ uses a gentle and moveable adhesive called hydrocolloid. If not removed properly with FreeDerm®, adhesive remover, or warm soapy water, small amounts of the adhesive can create a build-up layer on the skin even if you can’t see it.
Periodically, you can soak the tip of the anatomy with FreeDerm® and wrap a warm wet washcloth around the head to break up any hydrocolloid adhesive build-up. Long-time users should try this method to break up adhesive build-up if they are having a reduction of wear time or leaking at the adhesive.
Q: I have a leaking at the adhesive. What should I do?
- Try to remove any hydrocolloid adhesive build-up.
- You may want to try applying Men’s Liberty™ in the early morning because your body may hold less moisture. Make sure to allow the BioPlus+™ wipe to dry completely.
- You can try laying down when applying or utilising the KindKlamp™, penile clamp, to reduce or temporarily stop the amount of urine that leaks when applying Men’s Liberty™.
- Check that the faceplate (petals) is aligned properly with the urinary opening of the penis. You may need to use the KindKlamp™, penile clamp, to temporarily stop the flow of urine during application.
- Check that the faceplate seal is applied correctly by first applying at the groove at the underside of the penis prior to wrapping around the tip. Apply the faceplate seal so that it overlaps the faceplate “petals” and a little bit of the plastic tube housing. Make sure you are allowing the adhesive to naturally wrap around the head of the penis, so it is flat and wrinkle free without stretching the adhesive. If the faceplate seal does not wrap all the way around, you may need an additional faceplate seal to keep the product on and make a complete seal.
- Ensure that the Men’s Liberty™ is positioned below the anatomy to allow for flow of urine away from the body and with gravity. Ensure that a leg or bedside urine collection bag is positioned below the bladder.
Q: I used to get 24 hours of wear time but now am experiencing a reduction in wear time. What could be happening?
- Glans of the penis is not completely clean and free of oils/wax/soap residue
- Use of a soap that contains moisturisers/lotions
- Glans not completely dry after washing or applying the BioPlus+™ Barrier wipe
- Change in caregivers who may not be trained in proper application
Build-up of hydrocolloid adhesive residue – this can be removed with FreeDerm® or another adhesive remover - Using other incontinence products – Men’s Liberty™ is designed to be used continually and using incontinence pants or pads will shorten wear time by introducing excess skin moisture
- Change in health such as reduced dexterity, skin irritations, new medications, etc.
- Bag filling with urine not being emptied frequently – You may need a leg bag for extra capacity
Q: I had some irritation after removing Men's Liberty™. What can I do?
You may have applied the adhesive faceplate seal too tightly during application or are experiencing a vacuum effect when draining. Do not stretch or pull the adhesive tight around the head of the penis. You can also try to separate the layers of the urine collection bag(s) to allow some air into the bag and reduce suction. Do not block the Men’s Liberty’s™ micro-vent with restrictive underwear or incontinence pants or pads.
When connecting to another urine collection bag, it is recommended to use a vented bag. Make sure the Men’s Liberty™ is positioned lower than the anatomy to allow proper flow of urine with gravity. Do not pull or tug on the adhesive when removing. Allow warm water or FreeDerm® to loosen the adhesive so it can be gently rolled off the skin.