Bandages with WEAKER adhesive?

January 21, 2024 12:55 PM

My skin is weak and I have had it with bandages tearing strips off the backs of my fingertips. What brand(s) or types of bandages have the weakest adhesive? Must be available at drugstores in Canada.
posted by heatherlogan to Health & Fitness (17 answers total)

Have you tried gauze and paper tape? It's designed to stick to itself more than to you. More fuss but would hopefully solve the problem.

I also really like liquid bandage if you can tolerate it - it's great for little cuts and you don't have to peel it off, it'll just abrade off over time.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:04 PM on January 21 [9 favorites]

I’m sorry that I don’t know what’s available in Canada but in my experience the Band-Aid brand clear bandages are the weaklings of the adhesive bandage world.
posted by HotToddy at 1:25 PM on January 21 [4 favorites]

Maybe some gauze and vet wrap would work for you if it's a body part you can wrap around. Vet wrap is magical and only sticks to itself somehow.
posted by fritley at 1:25 PM on January 21 [4 favorites]

I also agree that Band-Aid has somehow hit the sweet spot of just adhesive enough, but not too adhesive. It doesn't leave residue behind either.
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:56 PM on January 21

When I have sore fingertips from being dry and cracked, I open a bandaid and rub a teeny bit of vaseline on the sticky bits, then wrap it around my finger, and then put a piece of clear (or any kind, really) tape around the bandaid. It works like a charm, nothing sticks to my skin, and the vaseline is healing for my skin. Cocoa butter does the same thing.

I have also used silicone fingertips, LOVE them. Just ran out, thanks for the reminder to order more. I use a bit of vaseline on my fingertip, wrap my fingertip with gauze, and put the silicone fingertip on over the gauze. Just google "silicone fingertip covers" to find them available at stores in Canada.
posted by the webmistress at 2:19 PM on January 21 [2 favorites]

Try sticking it to a cleanish shirt 1st, or putting lotion on your skin and letting that dry. . A medical supply store or a good pharmacists should be able to help.
posted by theora55 at 2:40 PM on January 21 [6 favorites]

Dollarama cheapo bandaids.
posted by warriorqueen at 3:41 PM on January 21

What about gauze tubes like these? Cut to fit, can be double back on itself and will hold a smaller gauze pad into place underneath it. To protect from water, try cutting off the fingers of a tight fitting surgical glove and use sections of those, instead of the gauze.

There is no adhesive at all involved if you try this and it works for you.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:46 PM on January 21

There are a few different brands of bandage remover liquid that help release bandages from skin. They probably stock some locally at your drug store.
posted by dhalgren at 4:55 PM on January 21

70% alcohol hand sanitizer will also help loosen the adhesive. But Shoppers usually sells a “sensitive” bandaid option (or tape, which you can use with gauze).
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:18 PM on January 21

In my experience kid's bandages have weaker adhesive. I get that not everyone would feel the same about wearing bandages with silly designs, but I have some that are shaped like crayons and they always make me smile.
posted by Eyelash at 6:44 PM on January 21 [3 favorites]

I had to move to paper tape for my skin.
posted by heathrowga at 6:47 PM on January 21

Have you already tried Tegaderm? I wouldn't say it's a weak adhesive, but it doesn't hurt at all when I peel it off and it really helps cuts and burns heal faster. Rexall usually has it, Shopper's might, you can try online in a pinch. (You want the stuff that's just a clear film, not the ones with a gauze pad. They can be cut down to just about any size, too.)
posted by maudlin at 7:58 PM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Seconding kids Band-Aids, they work well. Not whatever kids bandaids our pediatrician uses; they are hell.
posted by Threeve at 11:27 PM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Try looking for the "sensitive skin"/silicone bandaids--I had to wear bandaids for like 4 months over a wound recently and only the silicone ones prevented me from tearing skin off.
posted by TwoStride at 6:26 AM on January 22 [1 favorite]

I bring Hello Kitty Band-Aid brand bandages along when I get blood drawn. The tape they use takes my skin right off.

The phlebotomist thinks Hello Kitty is a termite wearing a bow which is an added bonus.
posted by Stoof at 10:08 AM on January 22

Silicone bandages are what you want. Like this or this.
posted by amusebuche at 10:45 PM on January 25