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Why learn about kaolin gauze? Learning to stop a serious bleed is one of the best things you can do to prevent deaths related to traumatic injuries. You can stop a severe bleed with just your hands, but having the right tools in your med kit can really help. A few of these bleed-stopping tools include items like a tourniquet, a pressure bandage, and Kaolin gauze. 

Kaolin gauze is impregnated with special compounds to help speed up the clotting process to stop a bleeding vessel faster. Kaolin specifically helps with the clotting cascade, which means that an effective plug is formed faster. You’ll often see it used with tourniquets and pressure bandages, especially when the wound is in a difficult area, such as the neck, armpits, or groin. 

This article will tell you everything you need to know to get started with kaolin gauze, as well as give you some tips on how to help someone who is bleeding. 

What Is Kaolin Gauze? 

Kaolin gauze is a bleeding control dressing impregnated with a hemostatic agent. The term hemostatic comes from the words “hemo” (blood) and stasis (to stop). So a hemostatic agent is something designed to facilitate the stoppage of blood loss. 

More and more people are seeing how important it is to know how to stop a severe bleed. In the US, reports are that more than 30,000 people die each year from severe bleeding––many of them preventable. In the next few sections, we’ll walk you through a tool that has become more common for bleeding control: Kaolin Gauze. 

No matter who you are, whether you have any previous medical training or not, learning to stop a bleed can truly save someone’s life. It doesn’t matter where you live or work, a bleed-causing injury can happen anywhere. 

Sadly, many people who think they know how to stop severe bleeding are actually making some serious mistakes. In this guide, you will learn the “right way” to use Kaolin gauze and other tools to stop a bleed, while avoiding the wrong way. 

Here is how we’ll cover this potentially lifesaving item: 

• History of Kaolin-Impregnated Gauze 
• How Kaolin Gauze Works 
• How to Use Kaolin Gauze 
• How Long Can You Store Kaolin Gauze 

Note: Be sure to read labels on individual types of Kaolin gauze you’re using. There are several different brands, and they may have slight variations in packaging, longevity, and usage. Some of this might seem like a small thing, but it’s a very big deal when it comes to stopping a life-threatening bleed. The small stuff matters. 

History of Kaolin-Impregnated Gauze 

The use of special chemical agents to stop bleeding has been around for quite some time. However, modern hemostatic agents such as kaolin-impregnated gauze are a relatively new idea in the world of emergency care. 

Like many advances in trauma care, the use of kaolin began widely in the military. Brands like “Combat Gauze” are well-known and popular to this day. 

In earlier times, the compound used to stop bleeding was known as Zeolite. But there were problems. Zeolite had an exothermic reaction when mixed with blood (that means it released heat), and this could cause burns. 

For this reason, Kaolin became more popular around 2010. Kaolin is a clay-based substance that works by activating part of the body’s natural clotting mechanism. The nice thing about Kaolin is that it’s non-allergenic and does not cause the heat reactions seen with other substances. 

How Kaolin Gauze Works 

Kaolin gauze works a bit differently than typical gauze. Regular gauze is simply a white woven fabric that is designed to help absorb blood and provide a basis for a clot to form. 

Normal gauze is also often used to pack wounds to the “junctions” where the arms and legs and head meet the torso. These areas can bleed very heavily, and you can’t place a tourniquet in these spots. 

That’s why we use gauze to pack the wound and hold pressure against the bleeding vessel. When you do it correctly, this works quite well. 

Where Kaolin Gauze Excels

But when a person has multiple wounds and is losing a lot of blood, products like Kaolin gauze can help stop bleeding faster. There are a lot of numbers out there regarding how much faster Kaolin can stop a bleed than regular gauze—some people say it can stop the bleed five times faster. A lot of this will have to do with the size of the wound and the technique of the responder.

Kaolin works by facilitating the body’s natural clotting process. Basically, it works to speed it up. It also absorbs water in the blood, increasing the concentration of platelets (a clotting agent) so that clots can form faster. 

Now that you have some idea about how kaolin works, let’s talk about how to use it. 

How To Use Kaolin Gauze 

The great thing about good Kaolin gauze is that it is used exactly the same way as regular gauze. The kaolin-based product simply provides an advantage when used correctly. With this in mind, how does someone actually use Kaolin impregnated gauze? Let’s go over the steps. 

How to use Kaolin Gauze to stop a bleed: 

1. Apply and hold direct, firm pressure on the site of bleeding. 

The first step is to apply very firm pressure. You can do this with just your fingers – you don’t need a towel or anything. If possible, wear gloves and eye protection to protect from bloodborne pathogens (although sometimes PPE is not always possible in an emergency – especially if you’re the one that is bleeding!). 

2. Prepare the kaolin gauze. 

You can transfer direct pressure by using something like your knee, or you can have a partner open the gauze packet. You do not want to release pressure on the wound to open the packet! If possible, you may also be able to use one hand to hold pressure and one hand/your teeth to open the gauze packet. 

3. Remove the gauze from the packet and pack it firmly into the site of the bleeding. 

Sometimes, you may be able to do this while pulling the gauze from the packet itself. Other times, you might have to pull the gauze from the packet and open it up, sort of like you’re opening a banana with the flip of the wrist. Then you can toss the extra gauze over your shoulder as you pack it firmly into the wound. 

4. Continue holding direct pressure. 

Avoid the urge to remove the gauze to “check” if the person is still bleeding. If you pull the gauze from the wound, it will likely disrupt clots and cause more bleeding. You should be able to tell if bleeding is controlled by looking for seepage from the side of the wound. You must continue holding very firm direct pressure. 

First Common Mistake

Many people don’t apply enough direct pressure when trying to stop bleeding! Think about how tight a blood pressure cuff feels when it’s at full pressure – your direct pressure needs to be comparable to this. Consider this: If your boat were sinking, how firmly would you hold pressure to stop the leak? 

Second Common Mistake

While kaolin gauze is a great tool, if someone needs a tourniquet, use a tourniquet. If there is a severe wound to an arm or leg, often it’s better to just stop the bleed instantly with a tourniquet. Tourniquets are no longer discouraged from use during severe bleeding. If you think to yourself, “Wow, that’s a lot of blood,” then don’t be afraid to apply a tourniquet, too. Kaolin gauze and tourniquets complement each other. 

How Long Can You Store Kaolin Gauze? 

You can typically store this gauze for about four years. However, for exact expiration dates, consider contacting the manufacturer to get the most specific information. Most gauze packages have an expiration date on the packaging. If you’re a professional organization, then you’ll be expected to have all your training products non-expired. 

One thing we didn’t talk about a ton in this article is training. Even with something like this gauze, you should train with the product. You would be surprised how hard it can be to open simple packaging in an emergency. 

One way you can train is by using the expired products as trainers. In this way, you can have a revolving door where you keep new kaolin gauze in your emergency kit, and outdated gauze is opened and used for training. 

Kaolin Gauze: Stopping Serious Bleeds 

When used correctly, Kaolin gauze can be life-saving. It is crucial for those who want to be able to save lives by stopping a serious bleed to practice and seek professional training. Kaolin is a special kind of gauze that can stop bleeds up to five times faster than normal gauze when used correctly. Kaolin gauze utilizes a special compound that speeds up clotting by facilitating the natural clotting cascade within the human body. 

Remember to apply very firm, direct pressure over the bleed, and HOLD. They’re a boat with a leak. Don’t let them sink. 

If you’re looking for a good hemostatic gauze that won’t break the bank, have a look at this easy-to-carry Kaolin Gauze to store in your first-aid kit.

Guest writer Gideon Zielinski is a nationally registered paramedic.