TENS replacement pads on eBay - avoid - skin damage

[woodieallen]

There is a new range of TENS replacement pads coming out of China characterised by being 4cm x 4cm rather than the current 5cm x 5cm. Do NOT....I repeat DO NOT..buy these as the contact medium is highly toxic to your skin. I've used a couple of these and where they were on my skin, the skin first went a pale red then it's now coming out into what looks like tiny weals and it itches like mad. It shows no sign of improving.

I wondered whether it was a combination of the TENS current/voltage and the pads and so in a spirit of scientific investigation simply applied a couple of strips and left them unconnected. Within a day the skin erupted badly.

They are currently listed here

20-100PCS Tens EMS Replacement Electrode Massager Pads Self-Adhesive Reusable UK | eBay and I have reported them to eBay.

 

[flying haggis]

can you report them to trading standards or do they not do e-bay? tell tens as well

 

[woodieallen]

Trying to get the seller's address from eBay.

 

[woodieallen]

Well, eBay won't give out the sellers' address so that Trading Standards can investigate and confiscate. Now why am I not surprised.

 

[Lons]

Well, eBay won't give out the sellers' address so that Trading Standards can investigate and confiscate. Now why am I not surprised.

The sellers address is at the bottom of the listing and is of course in China, while they say delivery from Manchester that very often isn't the case with Chiwanese companies and even if it was it's just from a warehouse, ebay won't have that address and it would be of little use anyway. These companies often share facilities and I'd be surprised if the authorities local to those aren't already aware of them. Maybe worth contacting trading standards in and around Manchester.

I had a faulty airbrush compressor bought through Amazon delivered from a UK warehouse and they had no facility to send it back to the warehouse, wanted it sent to China the cost of sending was more than the value of the item, of course I didn't do that.

Thanks for posting about the pads, I could have been tempted by those fo my machine.

 

[woodieallen]

Impossible to contact Trading Standards. Like all the organisations that have been created to look out for us.....underfunded.

 

[Lons]

Impossible to contact Trading Standards. Like all the organisations that have been created to look out for us.....underfunded.

It just rather proves the point that we have to look out for ourselves and when it comes to any kind of medical equipment that's even more important. Your unfortunate and painful experience hopefully has helped others going through the same thing.

I'm not sure what you mean by impossible to contact however as they list a national helpline number for anyone who need to discuss or report an issue. ( England and Wales : 0808 223 1133 ) and an address to write to ( Chartered Trading Standards Institute 1 Sylvan Court, Sylvan Way, Southfields Business Park, Basildon, Essex SS15 6TH. ), are you saying that no-one answers the 'phone or responds to a letter? Just curious.

There's also this for international purchases which yours might be classed as though if shipped from a Manchester warehouse it's more likely UK.

"If you would like advice regarding a product or service purchased outside of the UK please contact the UK International Contact Centre
01268 88 66 90 [email protected] or complete the online form."

 

[chris.s]

thanks for the warning my revitive came with tens pads but a mouse ate them but as not using them havent bothered to replace yet.

 

[Lons]

thanks for the warning my revitive came with tens pads but a mouse ate them but as not using them havent bothered to replace yet.

Shame it wasn't turned on at the time.

 

[chris.s]

Shame it wasn't turned on at the time.

they were unplugged and in the storage bag I suspect the mouse was looking for something tasty to go with the stolen peanuts it has stashed in there, these are not your ordinary house mice that I have but the sneaky harder to catch and cute so you feel sorry for them wood mice.

 

[gcusick]

Of course, TENS pads are medical devices and therefore subject to regulation. You should probably contact the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Do the pads or their packaging bear a CE mark?

 

[clogs]

what do u have a wife for......????????