1. WHAT IS BIO SKIN® MADE OF? Bio Skin® is a patented tri-laminate material specifically designed for the Orthopedic market. It is constructed of Lycra on the inside and outside with a thin polyurethane “SmartsSkin” membrane in-between.

2. WHY IS BIO SKIN® COOLER THAN NEOPRENE? Neoprene is an insulating rubber material that holds the body heat in and is non porous, which does not allow for any breathing under the sleeve. Bio Skin is cooler for two main reasons:

It is porous. Bio Skin® offers 35% porosity, giving a medium for air transfer through the material.

Because Bio Skin® does not have the same thermal characteristics as neoprene, the heat transfers from the body through the Bio Skin®, which keeps the body under the Bio Skin® cooler.

3. WHY DOES BIO SKIN® GIVE THE COMPRESSION IT DOES? A single layer of nylon lycra by itself cannot give the compression that Bio Skin® can. The real compression and the long term memory of the material happens because of the tri-laminate construction of Bio Skin®. This level of compression is also due to the unique characteristics of the SmartSkin™ membrane, the “secret sauce” laminated in between the two layers of lycra.

4. HOW DO YOU CLEAN BIO SKIN®? Just throw it in the washing machine in temperatures under 150° F. This would be considered a hot cycle. Bio Skin® has been tested in over 100 commercial washings.

5. WHAT ABOUT A DRYER? Some commercial dryers will get up to a maximum of 200° F, although most will range from 150-170°. Bio Skin® will become distorted if put in temperatures over 200°F. Most athletic facilities who do their own laundering will have the temperature setting at about 150° so as not to distort the nylon which is most common in athletic apparel. So, Bio Skin® will be safe if dried at about 150°F.

6. DOES BIO SKIN® TEAR OR RIP? Bio Skin® has been tested against neoprene by using a stretch tear test on the Jamar Dynamometer. Using a 1” X 11” strip of Bio Skin® against a 1” X 11” strip from several manufacturer brand name products, Bio Skin® outperformed all challengers. Neoprene’s strength ranged from 15-50 pounds before breakdown occurred. Bio Skin’s® “stretch to failure” was over 100 pounds.

7. DOES BIO SKIN® LAST LONGER THAN NEOPRENE? Are you asking about elasticity? Yes. Bio Skin® will loose between 6-8% of its elasticity or memory. Neoprene, on the other hand can loose up to 30% of its compression over the same period of time.

8. WHAT KIND OF WARRANTY DO YOU GIVE ON THE PRODUCT, AND HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH OTHER COMPANIES? We offer a 90 day warranty against materials and workmanship. The competition gives a much shorter warranty, for example, Sports Supports offers a 3 week warranty.

9. WHAT KIND OF SKIN PROBLEMS DO YOU HAVE WITH BIO SKIN®? None, Bio Skin® is completely Hypo-Allergenic. There is absolutely no neoprene or latex in any Bio Skin® product. We receive calls almost weekly from people hoping to find a support their patients can wear who’ve previously had some reaction to either neoprene or latex. In every case, these individuals have been able to wear Bio Skin. In over one million applications, we have never had one case of skin reaction.

10. WILL BIO SKIN® MAKE MY ATHLETES RUN FASTER, JUMP HIGHER, AND SCORE MORE POINTS? I won’t say no to this, but I will say your athletes will not feel like they are being slowed down by wearing a bulky product. Because Bio Skin® is low profile and lightweight, it feels more like an article of clothing than an orthopedic support. Bio Skin® is only 45/1000” thick, compared to 125/1000”-250/1000” for neoprene.

11. HOW DOES BIO SKIN® FIT BEHIND THE KNEE COMPARED TO NEOPRENE? Three issues have been addressed to change the dynamics behind the knee so that Bio Skin® fits comfortably in the popliteel area (with minimal bunching and binding. The first thing, obviously, is that the material is much thinner, so there is less bulk behind the knee. Secondly, there is no seam down the back, which allows for the dynamics of Bio Skin® (its four way, radial stretch) to work with the joint. Finally, Bio Skin® Knee Skins™ are made from a two-panel design (front and back), which affords a more anatomical cut. The smallest circumference in the sleeve corresponds with the smallest circumference of the knee, which is about 2” inches below the mid-patella, not mid-patella like most neoprene sleeves are designed.

12. DOES THE STANDARD KNEE SLEEVE COME WITHOUT STAYS? No. The spiral stainless steel stays are needed to prevent the Bio Skin from rolling toward the center of the knee.

13. CAN I CUT OUT A SECTION BEHIND THE KNEE SO THAT THE MATERIAL DOESN’T BIND? There is no reason to do that with Bio Skin®. When you cut the material behind the knee, you lose the compressive support to the knee; the support has already been designed to eliminate that problem. If there is any edema of the joint, the quadriceps muscle in the front of the knee will act like a pump through contraction and relaxation to remove it. If there is a cut out there, it will push the edema to the back of the knee which will slow down the body’s ability to remove it from the joint.

14. CAN YOU CUT THE MATERIAL TO CUSTOMIZE IT AND WILL IT TEAR OR FRAY? One of the many advantages of Bio Skin® is that it does not rip or fray when it is cut. Always trim or customize the product when it is on the patient or athlete. Use a pair of bandage shears so that the patient’s skin does not get damaged or cut.

15. CAN I CUT THROUGH A SEAM? Yes, but unless you seal the seam, it will unravel a few stitches. The seam can be sealed with a drop of clear fingernail polish or super glue.

16. HOW MUCH DO THE BIO SKIN® PRODUCTS SLIP? Migration is minimal. Bio Skin® has a patented SkinLok™ membrane on the interface. Any type of moisture (perspiration, water, lotion) will activate the membrane, which secures the support in place. With neoprene, moisture acts as a lubricant and the brace will constantly migrate out of position.

17. HOW MUCH MORE DOES BIO SKIN® COST THAN NEOPRENE? You would think that with all of these features and benefits over neoprene, it would cost more. Actually, Bio Skin® is very competitively priced. All of the products are basically mid-range with the exception of the back support, which is priced significantly lower.

18. WHAT MAKES THE BACK SUPPORT SO GREAT? The Bio Skin® Back Skin offers a low profile, anatomically contouring material, which will adjust to the low back.

It works well with small waist/wide hip people.

The vented elastic side panels make the belt much cooler than solid elastic straps.

The double pull feature offers a greater variety of compression when needed. It also fits comfortably under clothing.

19. CAN I GET A CUSTOM SIZING? Absolutely! Our price list shows that our standard products are from XS-XXL. All these sizes are the same price with the exception of the XXL compression shorts. Most braces are also available in 3XL-5XL sizes at an additional 20%. Custom braces for the knee and back are available at an additional $20 per brace.

20 - HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE PRODUCT? Our goal is for all stock orders to ship within 48 hours of receipt. 90% of stock product orders, received before noon, go out the same day. Our standard shipping is UPS 2day. Ground service is also available.