On the Battlefield bleeding is one of the primary cause of battlefield deaths, Tourniquets and cotton gauze are still the standard aproach to bleeding wounds however serious bleeding wounds cant be controlled well with just rolls of cotton. Tourniquets are effective at stopping blood loss, but their use can lead to loss of a limb if applied too tightly or for too long, and can't be used on neck or abdominal wounds.

Special Forces were the first to use the bandages in both Iraq and Afghanistan, however the plan, ultimately was that every soldier would have one or two, and combat medics would have more.

So what exactly is HEMCON?

positively charged chitosan molecules, extracted from shrimp shells, that attract negatively charged red blood cells. As the cells are pulled into the bandage, they create a tight-fitting plug over the wound. So you get a seal on a wound that will hold long enough in emergency situations to keep someone alive until they reach a more established form of medical care.

Any dangers of HEMCON?

There have been no known allergic reactions as a result of using the HemCon Bandage since distribution began in 2003 and there have been no adverse effects reported in over 500,000 bandages shipped. HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc. has results from a shellfish allergy study conducted by its chitosan supplier which demonstrates that, out of 221 individuals with suspected hypersensitivity, including 8 individuals with known shellfish allergies, none demonstrated any dermal sensitivity when pricked with a chitosan test solution. However, since chitosan is extracted from the shells of shrimp, other shellfish and fungi, individuals with known shellfish allergies should exercise caution in the use of products containing chitosan.