I have a family member who has very sensitive skin. Sometimes He will have a cut or scrape or some such that needs to be covered with an adhesive bandage. While peeling off the bandage, the adhesive sometimes tears his skin further, despite that fact that we tried to remove it gently.

So, are there any ways to break down the adhesive or moisturize the area before removing? Water works sometimes, but other times it would be best not to use it.

Its required to remove the bandage to remove I.V. dressings.

Angelo Fuchs

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asked Jan 7 '15 at 16:24

8

An easy way to remove bandages is to apply either baby oil or olive oil. Simply dip a cotton ball or a q-tip (preferably a cotton ball) into the oil and gently rub it on the bandage until it comes off. This is a very easy, cheap, and painless method for removing bandages. I use it all the time.

answered Jan 8 '15 at 3:43

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I don't have any other solution for you, besides using a dedicated adhesive remover like this one. They're pretty cheap, at ~$10 for 50 wipes, though you could probably find them cheaper if you tried.

I've used them (though not on regular bandaids, admittedly), and they work as advertised, though I've never had the problem of thin skin that rips.

answered Jan 7 '15 at 23:19

0

Though it's similar to Gwenn's answer, I feel like it's worth mentioning Self-Adhesive Wrapping. There's no glue or pins.

  1. You just put down gauze (or whatever)
  2. Wrap it.
  3. Cut or tear like duct tape.
  4. Then peel it off when finished.

enter image description here

answered Apr 5 '16 at 12:44

1

Is it not acceptable just to leave it in place and let it fall off itself after a few days? So long as it's a "breathable" type there's no immediate need to remove it I would have thought.

Alternatively, maybe try an ACTUAL bandage wrapped around and pinned rather than glued - or an elastic version? You would use a gauze or pad under the bandage to do the protective work and the bandage just holds that in place.

answered Jan 8 '15 at 7:07

3

Depending on the kind of glue used ethanol works great for this. You can get pure un-denatured ethanol at your pharmacy if its a prohibited item in your country (as it is in mine).

Apply very small doses of it as larger spills will irritate seriously sensitive skin. You might want to use cotton swaps. Just put the ethanol on the outside of the bandage above the glue and it will fall off by itself after a minute or so.

If any rips occur while removing the bandage you can use this as sterilizer as well. I've heard that there are ethanol based sterilizers as well, they should be best as they are meant to be used on injured skin.

answered Jan 8 '15 at 12:13

1

Instead of using a bandage with adhesive, you can use gauze pads and an elastic bandage (commonly called Ace bandages).

Usually this is used for large wounds too large to cover with small adhesive bandages, but you can also use it as a general-purpose alternative to adhesive bandages. If the bandage is too long, you can cut it to be shorter.

This is what I have in mind:

enter image description here

answered Aug 28 '15 at 0:20

Here is a product that really does work wonders for either removing the bandaid or removing the gum from the bandaid after it is removed. I use it to remove the patch around my continuous glucose monitor and the leftover goop from lidocaine patches. I hope that this helps. I do disclose that I have no financial gain in recommending this product.

answered Jun 26 '17 at 5:10

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Rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip is perfect. Start at the very edge of the bandage with a saturated Q-tip, and peel back the bandage as it loosens. I find this faster and cleaner than using petroleum jelly and/or baby oil.

To avoid stings, go slowly and don't force the adhesive.

answered Aug 26 '15 at 18:24

3

Either submerge the area in water or cover the area with a wet cloth so the area gets and stays wet for at least 10 minutes. If it is wet long enough the bandage will come right off.

Trust me I've been a lifeguard for years--even "water proof" bandages don't stay on very long once they are wet.

answered May 9 '16 at 19:26

Instead of using Olive Oil, or any other non-sterile oil, use Vitamin E. Use a needle to puncture the capsule and apply the vitamin e liberally around the edges of the bandage.

answered Apr 18 '17 at 18:22

1

Instead of using adhesive bandages - "bandaides" - at all use nonstick first aid pad/gauze and paper tape. Paper tape has a different adhesive which does not bond to skin as strongly as 'bandaide' glue, and is also less chemically irritating. It stays on just as well as the usual plastic or fabric tape.

answered Jun 13 '17 at 20:11

Coloplast adhesive remover. My little boy had to have the dressing changed on his central line bi weekly. Spray it on, wait 15 second and the bandage peels off like a 3M post it note. It's a staple at the local children's hospital in the oncology floor. A little pricey but worth every penny.

Glorfindel

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answered Dec 12 '20 at 1:39

Mayonnaise works for me. Put some on, rub it in, wash it off. Might have to do it a couple times.

answered Aug 23 '15 at 7:13

2

Try spraying "Goo Gone" under the bandage or tape as you slowly pull off. Go slow enough to allow the adhesive to dissolve slightly and spray as you go.

Edit: Goo Gone does have a product specifically for bandage adhesive http://googone.com/products/goo-gone-skin/

answered Jan 8 '15 at 0:31

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