Skip to content
HomeOur CompanyOur heritage DryBak: The first waterproof bandage ever made by Johnson & Johnson

DryBak: The first waterproof bandage ever made by Johnson & Johnson

You probably take the innovation for granted these days, but waterproof bandages weren’t commercially sold prior to the 1930s—when this Johnson & Johnson invention debuted.

 Inset - DryBak - Waterproof BAND-AID 1934

These days, all you have to do to keep minor cuts and scrapes clean and dry when you hit the water at the beach or pool is put on a BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandage.

But this wasn’t an option until 1932, when Johnson & Johnson released the DryBak bandage, the first BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandage designed to guard against water.

DryBak bandages featured a new-for-its-time waterproof coating made of a strong adhesive that would not curl up or become soggy when it came in contact with H2O.

They also featured a unique new shape that was narrower in width than previous BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages, so they fit well around fingers, and were less likely to fall off busy hands.

Listening to what people wanted was the genesis for a lot of our products. The company has a long history of identifying unmet needs and meeting them—and DryBak is a great example of that.
Margaret Gurowitz

Company historian Margaret Gurowitz believes the product was inspired by feedback Johnson & Johnson received from consumers and medical professionals.

“Listening to what people wanted was the genesis for a lot of our products,” she explains. “The company has a long history of identifying unmet needs and meeting them—and DryBak is a great example of that.”

The “DryBak” name has since been retired, but the company sells waterproof BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages to this day. This year, the brand also introduced Skin-Flex™ adhesive bandages, made with innovative touch screen-friendly material that dries almost instantly.

When you’ve been innovating for over 135 years …

Johnson & Johnson has a virtual museum where you can learn more fun facts about its rich history.
Johnson & Johnson's new museum at its world headquarters in New Jersey
© Albert Vecerka/Esto. All rights reserved.