Question:
Any suggestions for painless tape removal
I had my sugery four weeks ago (open) and an infection set up in my wound site. I have been fighting this infection for about three weeks now. I have to have the wound pulsi-vacuumed every day and there has to be an AB pad put on the wound site to catch the drainage. I have changed the pad so many times in the last three weeks that my skin is peeling off with the tape and the paid is starting be come unbearable with tapeappreciated removal. Any suggestions or information will be greatly — Gene F. (posted on June 17, 2003)
June 17, 2003
Hi Gene, I'm really sorry to hear about your complication to the surgery.
In regards to the tape question... I am not a nurse or doctor or any other
medical professional that would "know" if this information is
relevent to your situation, but I did have trouble when I had surgery with
tape as well... I found a tape made for sensitive skin to be very very
helpful! There was no pain at all with taking it off and I had no reaction
to it's adhesive. I found this at my local CVS, I believe it is put out by
Curad, or Johnson & Johnson... sorry, I'm not sure. I know it comes on
a cardboard backing with a bubble wrap over it. I will tell you it doesn't
stick very well, I had to keep pressing lightly on it to keep it
"stuck" to me... but it was well worth it to have no pain when
pulling it off or reactions to the adhesives. I hope this helps and that
you find something that works for you! Lots of luck! ~ Kim ~
— Kimberly J.
June 17, 2003
I have an open wound that I have to pack everyday also. What I have are 2
pieces of tape on either side of the wound with "strap tabs" on
them that have 2 holes in each one. I pack the wound - put an ABD on it and
then use 2 white shoelaces to cinch it all up tight and pull it together.
there is a word for the straps - but for the life of me I cant remember the
name. They are really easy to make you just double over the tape at one end
on itself about 3 inches and then cut 2 holes out in each one. I have had
this open wound for several months now (it was QUITE large when I started)
and have had no skin degredation at all.
— George B.
June 17, 2003
hi, i have one solution that really helps, a little trick i learned when my
son had to wear and eye patch, everytime we would remove that patch it
would leave his tender eye area so red and sore, so the nurse at the eye
dr. told me to put milk of magnesia around where the tape goes and let it
dry for a few minutes,then put your dressing on, i promise you this really
works!!!
— shellypoe
June 17, 2003
I will describe how I used to do big wounds when I was doing home care
nursing. What you will need: a product called Duoderm, or Tegaderm, or any
type of occlusive wound dressing that is meant to stay on the skin for
several days.(Op-site will work, and there are some available in drug
stores.) If your skin isn't red or irritated, skip this and just apply the
Montgomery straps to your skin.Medical supply places will usually carry
this. Also, Montgomery straps. These are satiny strips of material that
have an adhesive at one end, and the other end is reinforced with a hole in
it. They are about 6-8" long, and about 1 1/2 inches wide. These items
can be pricey. Be sure the skin on the sides of the wound is clean and dry.
In fact, if you can, gently swab the skin with some alcohol (avoid getting
it in the wound, unless you would like to see the moon and the
stars!ouch!)and let it dry. It will help the dressing material stick.
Apply a strip of the Duoderm or whatever you have, along either side of the
wound, not too close to the wound edges - about an inch or farther back
from the edge(if you need it). Stick the Montgomery straps to this
material. Be sure you don't put the Montgomery straps to close together -
you don't want them to meet right together over the wound. Then, take some
rubber bands and thread them through the holes on the Montgomery straps and
loop each one onto a Montgomery strap. You can use a safety pin to hold the
two rubber bands together in the middle, over the ABD pad. This will allow
you to move and still keep the dressing from falling off. You can also pull
one rubber band across and put the safety pin on the end and "button
it" through the whole on the opposite Montgomery strap.
To change the dressing, just "unbutton" the safety pins and open
it up,take off the old dressing, clean the wound and apply a new dressing,
then "button" it back up. This is similiar to the shoelace deal
but the rubber bands will move with you and won't pull. No tape needed!
— koogy
June 17, 2003
MONTGOMERY STRAPS! Thats the name of the things I could not remember.
Thanks!
BTW - they ARE Pricey as heck, but when I was in the hospital they made
them out of wide medical tape and showed me how. Pretty easy in fact.
— George B.
June 17, 2003
Don't use tape at all. Use burn mesh, it's like a tube top, stretchy,
clingy, holds the AB pad in place. Ask your home nurse to bring some with
your pads. Alternatives--an actual tube top(cheap), tensor bandages(home
nurse), abdominal hernia wrap around belt(home nurse). I used the burn
mesh after my c-section became infected and my skin was severly burned from
the tape. My home nurse came up with the idea. The burn mesh is a tube and
it can be cut to the length you need. From under the breasts to the hips.
You wear your underpants over it. The same piece will keep its elasticity
for about 3 days. Don't know if it's washable. I was extremely grateful
that nurse thought of it, she saved my skin!
— mary ann T.
June 17, 2003
I'm a Nurse and I hate using the plastic or fabric tape on my patients. I
use paper tape. Especially if you change your bandages frequently. It
does not pull the skin off like the other tapes. You can get it in two
inch width for larger dressings. Another thing you might do is change the
direction of the tape. One time diagonal, one time left to right and the
other up and down. This gives your skin time to breath between tapings.
The Montgomery straps idea is good too. Hope your healing soon.
— adeas
June 17, 2003
I am very sensitive to tape. Paper or cloth..it all sticks to me and takes
off my skin. I dab a cotton ball soaked in baby oil (or any oil) until the
tape is saturated then it comes right off...does not even lift the skin let
alone pull it off.
— hooterzgirl75
June 18, 2003
well, my mother also had a large wound with a "Freedom Vac"/ i
dont know if it is the same as your vac, if so, there really is no
alternative. on my mothers, that sheet clear tape stuff i had to dress it
with made a seal around the tubing. so nothing else could take its place.
my mother is extremely sensitive to tape especially after so may wound
changes. and watch out for a yeast infection developing under that tape.
but, when doing regular wound changes when i was just packing it with
gauze, the wound care clinic gave us this tape i believe called Mepiflex.
there is also another brand of it. it is around $13.00 a 10 yrd roll.
very costly and most insurances wont cover it. but i dont think a regular
store would carry it. this is a miracle tape. all other tapes tore my
mothers skin so bad that it caused new wounds., this tape doesnt do that
at all. it is great, just expensive, but worth it.
— christina K.
June 18, 2003
I use lavender oil. It smells good, is gentle and removes tape easily and
painlessly.
— Gremlin Q.
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