Peeps with adhesive bandage allergies

[MercyA]

Help! I react to most brands of bandages and first aid tape. I could previously use Target's Up and Up brand bandages for short periods of time without a major reaction. I put one on last night, and today I have a nasty bandage shaped red mark and itchiness not confined to that area. Boo.

I can use stretch bandages and gauze pads for some things, but it sure would be nice to be able to use an adhesive bandage once in a while. 

Any brand recommendations?

ETA: I know for sure that I react to: Band-Aid Comfort Flex, Curad Flexible Athletic Strips, CVS Gentle, Kroger Waterproof Strong-Strips, Nexcare Comfort.

Edited February 8, 2022 by MercyA

[KSera]

It seems to vary so much by person. I have two that react to bandaids, but not necessarily the same bandaids. Right now, the Welly bandages are working for my most reactive one. Otherwise we have resorted sometimes to sensitive skin tape and a cut up gauze pad.

Edited February 8, 2022 by KSera
got the name wrong

[MercyA]

2 minutes ago, KSera said:

It seems to vary so much by person. I have two that react to bandaids, but not necessarily the same bandaids. Right now, the Welly bandages are working for my most reactive one. Otherwise we have resorted sometimes to sensitive skin tape and a cut up gauze pad.

Ha! I've been eying those Welly bandages lately just because they are so darn cute. Now I have an excuse to buy them, and not for my kid, but for ME! Thanks! 😉 

I've had bad luck with even sensitive skin tape, unfortunately. 

It does seem to vary so much, even within the same brand of bandages.

[vonfirmath]

15 minutes ago, MercyA said:

Help! I react to most brands of bandages and first aid tape. I could previously use Target's Up and Up brand bandages for short periods of time without a major reaction. I put one on last night, and today I have a nasty bandage shaped red mark and itchiness not confined to that area. Boo.

I can use stretch bandages and gauze pads for some things, but it sure would be nice to be able to use an adhesive bandage once in a while. 

Any brand recommendations?

ETA: I know for sure that I react to: Band-Aid Comfort Flex, Curad Flexible Athletic Strips, CVS Gentle, Kroger Waterproof Strong-Strips, Nexcare Comfort.

I'm so sorry. However -- like you, she also generally can wear other brands for short periods of time without a reaction. So that is concerning.

The bandages that my daughter can use include Nexcare comfort and welly brand bandages. (we were SO happy recently to discover Welly because they are FUN as well!)

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by vonfirmath

[Jean in Newcastle]

Do you react to liquid bandage?

[SoCal_Bear]

Hmmm...I've been using Nexcare Sensitive Skin...Someone gave me some Welly bandages...I guess I have a reason to use them now.

[history-fan]

Nexcare sensitive skin bandages, not the comfort type, work better than regular band aids.  I just saw ads for Patch brand which I will probably try. For first aid tape we can only use first aid paper tape  

[Loowit]

I haven't found anything that works for DS.  We always have to wrap gauze around and on use tape on the gauze itself. He even reacts to the sticks to itself bandages like the use after blood draws if it touches his skin. 

I have never heard of Welly. I will need to look into that. 

[Ausmumof3]

I accidentally ordered some bamboo charcoal ones when we had stock shortages a while back - they were super comfy and less irritating to my kid who sometimes gets a bit of a reaction to them. They were also ridiculously expensive unfortunately but if you don’t need many it would be ok.

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/natural-medicines/4979876/patch-adhesive-large-bamboo-bandages-charcoal.html?job=1036&action=click&channel_code=search&trfc=1&obj=3&keyword=&campaignid=71700000059353379&adgroupid=58700005428481213&kwid=&trackerid=&msclkid=6c1b45b81d6f1143f9ab27ba38d68ac5&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NLOM-BingShopping-Health-AON&utm_term=4588880501290502&utm_content=Health+Products

 

These aren’t identical but they’re very similar to what we had.

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.stjohnqld.com.au/product/patch-activated-charcoal-bamboo-bandages-tube-of-25/
 

these are the same as we had.  I’m not sure if they’re available in the US or not.

[prairiewindmomma]

Do you react to tegaderm, duoderm and other hospital grade bandages in that class?

[Bambam]

I try to not use bandages, as I will end up with a nasty rash from where the adhesive hits. I am not sure if the issue is the adhesive or the latex in the bandage. Currently the Target Up & Up brand Flexible Fabric ones are working for me, but I also try not to keep them on very long at all.

When I had my gall bladder out, they sent home the surgical tape (3M micropore, I believe). That stuff is great. It leaves minimal residue of the adhesive, and it hasn't started bothering my skin. Again, I try not to use it much or for long. 

[Paige]

My daughter is sensitive and she does her best to never wear band aids or anything with adhesive. One of her doctors had her wear soft, close fitting clothing over the exposed area when possible. So she had back surgery and instead of tape, they took it off asap and she wore close fitting tank tops that were changed regularly. When she had procedures on her legs and ankles, she wore leggings, socks, or stockinettes. Now we have a big roll of stockinette and we can put it on arms too. If she has a wound somewhere that something like that isn't practical she has tried liquid skin but mostly just goes without asap. 

[ktgrok]

Do you have a dermatologist? If so, call and ask them if they can recommend a brand. (and share what you learn, lol, my 22 yr old reacts as well)

[Catwoman]

Can you use gauze and paper tape? I know it’s more of a nuisance than just popping on a band-aid, but it was the only thing that worked for my mom when she needed to have a wound bandaged for a while. She seemed to have a reaction to everything else.

[Tap]

If you have a chance to try making you own with an IV3000 film, that is what dd23 does.  They are large, flat dressing that is intended to be put in place for several days (like Tegaderm). We put a gauze pad down and use the IV300 for the adhesive part.

When dd had her port, we tried soooo many different adhesives and it is the one she reacts to the least. 

For me, I can use the clear bandaids without  a reaction. I use them when I have moles removed for biopsy and need to keep the area covered.  Something must be different, because I can't use most bandaids without welting up. But like others have said, I typically go with paper tape and gauze.

[klmama]

I react to a lot of bandages.  The Coverlet brand seems to work best for me (purchased on Amazon).  It's sticky enough to stay on, but doesn't leave behind as much adhesive as others.  I've also found I have less skin irritation if I take them off in the shower, once they are fully soaked, and if I keep the part of the bandage being pulled off as close to the rest of the bandage as possible during the pulling process, so it's basically overlapped.  

[prairiewindmomma]

6 hours ago, Bambam said:

When I had my gall bladder out, they sent home the surgical tape (3M micropore, I believe). That stuff is great. It leaves minimal residue of the adhesive, and it hasn't started bothering my skin. Again, I try not to use it much or for long. 

3M micropore taped worked for me for a long time. Silk tape also worked for me, though most paper tapes do not.

[Ali in OR]

My kiddo who reacts to regular bandaids does ok with store-brand flexible fabric bandages.

[wintermom]

Maybe I'm just lazy or lucky, but I can't remember the last time I used a bandage. If I cut myself while cooking I just wrap something around the finger and carry on. I buy bandages about once a year for the dc and they're hardly ever used anymore. I have some in the first aid kit in the car, but they're never used. 

Now that I've typed this out I'll need one. 😉 

Edited February 9, 2022 by wintermom

[Tree Frog]

Dd has a latex allergy, so there are only specific brands of band aids she can use. It's frustrating to have to search not only each brand, but the size, too. We used to find them at Walmart, then had to resort to Amazon. She doesn't live here anymore, so I don't know what brand she uses anymore.

[plaidpants]

I'm currently not allergic to the baby Yoda bandaids, but did react to the other ones?  My local grocery store used to have some kids bandaids in a store brand that I didn't react to but they got rid of those 😞

 

I think my eye patches when I was a kid were from coverlet.

[MercyA]

23 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Do you react to liquid bandage?

I used it for a long time (years?) without a reaction, and then suddenly I reacted. Now it causes swollen welts. Good idea, though! I probably should have not overused it. 

[MercyA]

8 hours ago, Catwoman said:

Can you use gauze and paper tape? I know it’s more of a nuisance than just popping on a band-aid, but it was the only thing that worked for my mom when she needed to have a wound bandaged for a while. She seemed to have a reaction to everything else.

Alas, I react to most paper tapes. If I go that route, I wrap with the stretchy type bandages (Coban is one brand name, I think).

[MercyA]

13 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Do you react to tegaderm, duoderm and other hospital grade bandages in that class?

I have not tried them! 

You are all wonderful; I did not expect so many great ideas and options!

[prairiewindmomma]

@MercyA, if you decide to try things in that class, most can be cut with sterile scissors to help cut costs. Opsite Flexigrid is another adhesive film you can use for small cuts or burns that need sterile covering but not necessarily a lot of absorption.

Fwiw, the adhesive in tegaderm and duoderm is a single polymer acrylate. It’s not a complex mix of chemicals like many adhesives, but some people do develop allergies to it. 

Outside of the bandaid issue, Vecafix and Sorbaview are two other bandages that you can use to secure ivs if you are allergic to Tegaderm. As many sensitivities as you have, should you have a long hospitalization or need to use a port, consider rotating between types of dressings. I know this is beyond the scope of what you asked, but I have been surprised by how many nurses don’t know how to help protect sensitive patients.