Now that I have a bit more time to type, let me elaborate on a few points.

Hemostaics have been around for a long time, but there is a realitivly short history of there use in the "field" by military and civilian EMS propviders and an even shorter history of there use by laypersons in first aid. However, because of the wars in Iraq, Afganistan and other theaters huge amounts of data have been recorded during that short history allowing quick changes in products and protocols. The United States and the United Kingdom have done a significant amount of research on trauma patient managment during these past 11 years of combat and that research has changed how we treat trauma patients from first contact in the field to the rehab facility post-hospitalization. Permissive hypotension, tourniquets and significant changes for traumatic brain injury patiets join the use of Hemostatics as new ideas that affect the EMS and First Aid relm of trauma patient care. Hemostatics is the most insignificant of that list.

Of all the changes in pre-hospital trauma patient care, hemostatics and tourniquets are uniquely product driven. Hundreds of new tourniquets and dozens of new hemostatics have hit the market since 2003, not all of them were good.  Today there are basically two Hemostatics still on the civilian market, Celox and QuickClot (there are a few others, but these are the common products). While Celox is offered in a number of forms, from loose granule to rolled gauze, QuickClot is only avalibe to civilians in gauze sponges or rolled gauze (although granules are still avalible for "professional" use). 

QuickClot recieved a bad reputation early on due to the original formula causing and exothermic (creating a lot of heat) reaction on contact with fluids. Imagine getting a substance like that in your eye, as a number of Soilders, Marines, Sailors and Airmen did. It was also noted to cause burns to some patients, and was ineffective at low tempatures. Quickclot changed their formula and released the Combat Gauze to remedy this and there have been no reports of QuickClot being anything but safe and effective since these changes.  

The product that has given Hemostatic's reputation the biggest black eye is WoundStat. At one time, WoundStat was the perfered hemostatic (granules) product approved for use by CoTCCC (Commity on Trauma Combat Casulty Care). WoundStat didn't cause the exothermic reaction that QuickClot caused, so it was seen as an improvement.  However, overtime it was noticed that patients who received WoundStat were developing secondary emboli. Initially, this was thought to be do to the granules  migrating from the wound site. Researched reviled what was actually happening was Woundstat caused damage to the blood vessels at the wound site which in turn caused clots and plagues to break free and cause the emboli after WoundStat was used. There are ALOT of anecdotal information about Hemostatic granules being "sucked" into neck wounds and other large vessel bleeds, but nothing that can be verified.

The issues with early QuickClot and WoundStat are what have fueled the "Hemostatics are Unsafe" idea that has become so prevalent on the internet and in the EMS community. While WoundStat is absolutely unsafe and any remaining stock should be trashed, the QuickClot on the market today is completely safe and effective. Sadly a lot of the confusion is caused by under qualified instructors repeating myths and rhetoric. 

So if you have extra money to invest in first aid supplies, hemostatics are a good investment if you already have tourniquets in your kits. Tourniquets are an other topic all together, but simply put they work and are safe. If you don't have some, I highly recommend either CAT, SOF-T or McMillian mechanical tourniquets or Tk4 elastic tourniquets. For hemostatics, my first recommendation is Celox Gauze (roller). This recommendation is based on there being no documented cases of negative side effects with the use of Celox and witnessing it work. I recommend the gauze for three reasons; it is easier to keep in a wound, adds to the packing of the wounds and powders tend to go flying when excitedly opened by an inexperienced person. I would also have no problem with QuickClot gauze in my kit or being used on me... I just prefer Celox. 

As for the use of hemostatics in bleeding control, they should be the last resort in most cases. If you look at the protocols that I posted above, you will see that direct pressure is still the primary method of bleeding control and "consider" hemostatics comes farther down the list. So, from a practical point of view to me that means I am going to only use hemostatics when I don't believe that pressure, tourniquets and packing the wound will be effective. I have never had to use both a tourniquet and hemostatics on the same wound (not to say that there haven't ever been patients that have required both). For most people, the hemostatics in their kits will need to be replaced due to expiration not use.