more like a MANdaid amirite
January 28, 2010 7:28 AM Subscribe
Where can I get bandaid that will stay on?
Even the "extra adhesive" "stays on longer" bandaids I've tried are wimpy and useless. I actually put some on a few days ago and they fell off within half an hour. (Because I got my hands briefly wet.)
I would just chalk it up to The Crappiness Of Products Today, but I know that better bandaids exist. They were in the first aid kit at a previous place of employment. These were some rugged bandages and would stay on for a week or more and still be hard to remove at the end. They looked like a beefier bandaid and were made out of actual cloth unlike the simulated cloth (or worse, slick plastic) ones I find at the store.
Even the "extra adhesive" "stays on longer" bandaids I've tried are wimpy and useless. I actually put some on a few days ago and they fell off within half an hour. (Because I got my hands briefly wet.)
I would just chalk it up to The Crappiness Of Products Today, but I know that better bandaids exist. They were in the first aid kit at a previous place of employment. These were some rugged bandages and would stay on for a week or more and still be hard to remove at the end. They looked like a beefier bandaid and were made out of actual cloth unlike the simulated cloth (or worse, slick plastic) ones I find at the store.
There are waterproof bandages and medical tape. I have no idea if they stick better in dry conditions.
posted by soelo at 7:35 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by soelo at 7:35 AM on January 28, 2010
I've had very good luck with the Bandaid Activ-Flex (scroll down). They're kind of weird, and I was skeptical at first, but I used one on my foot during a vacation where I was in and out of the water and it stayed on the whole time.
posted by radiomayonnaise at 7:42 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by radiomayonnaise at 7:42 AM on January 28, 2010
3M Nexcare, particularly the waterproof and heavy duty ones.
The hospital sent me home with some after some surgery a few years ago, and they actually seemed to get stickier the longer they stayed on.
posted by pupdog at 7:45 AM on January 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
The hospital sent me home with some after some surgery a few years ago, and they actually seemed to get stickier the longer they stayed on.
posted by pupdog at 7:45 AM on January 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
We like 3M Nexcare. They even occasionally survive a shower!
posted by advicepig at 7:46 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by advicepig at 7:46 AM on January 28, 2010
In Canada, we have cloth adhesive bandages called Elastoplasts that stick to you like a limpet. Ask at your drugstores for that brand name or anything they have like it.
posted by maudlin at 7:47 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by maudlin at 7:47 AM on January 28, 2010
My grandpa used superglue in place of bandaids. That'll stay on.
posted by geekchic at 7:48 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by geekchic at 7:48 AM on January 28, 2010
Put some duct tape over your bandaid and it'll stay on.
posted by foodgeek at 7:56 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by foodgeek at 7:56 AM on January 28, 2010
I love the Band-Aid Activ-Flex/Advanced Healing bandages. They stay on for days and don't even hurt to take off. The only thing that seems to defeat them, in my experience, is friction, e.g. if you have one on your foot and the edge of your shoe keeps rubbing against it.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:58 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:58 AM on January 28, 2010
I've lost skin and hair trying to remove Band-Aid Fabric Tough Strips even if they've been on through a shower.
Highly recommended.
posted by phunniemee at 8:01 AM on January 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
Highly recommended.
posted by phunniemee at 8:01 AM on January 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yeah. The Band-Aid tough strips are like duct tape. Also the water proof activ-flex are very good.
posted by bDiddy at 8:08 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by bDiddy at 8:08 AM on January 28, 2010
Regular cloth ones work for me for a day or two, but could probably go much longer. I switch them daily.
posted by jwells at 8:36 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by jwells at 8:36 AM on January 28, 2010
ZEE 0740 Elastic Strip Fabric Bandage, 7/8" x 3"
The only "band aid" type thing my family buys for a large full-service nursery and landscape installation operation that generates all sorts of minor injuries. I've used these to cover/pull together everything from blisters to deep kitchen cuts. They will stay on a full day in a wet boot, will survive a long hot shower, etc. You should still switch them often, of course, but they take some real effort to pull off.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 8:42 AM on January 28, 2010
The only "band aid" type thing my family buys for a large full-service nursery and landscape installation operation that generates all sorts of minor injuries. I've used these to cover/pull together everything from blisters to deep kitchen cuts. They will stay on a full day in a wet boot, will survive a long hot shower, etc. You should still switch them often, of course, but they take some real effort to pull off.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 8:42 AM on January 28, 2010
I only use Band-Aid Fabric Tough Strips - they are extremely adhesive, hard to remove, even in wet, oily enviornments. For me, they have stayed on where the Activ-Flex have come off.
posted by buzzv at 9:04 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by buzzv at 9:04 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
i've got a johnson & johnson adhesive pad plus neosporin on right now, which beats the crap out of the band-aid water block plus i was trying to use. (the latter are too difficult to get off the backing & end up sticking to themselves before i can get them on myself.) i'm finding i much prefer the cloth bandaids to the newfangled clear ones.
hope your ouchy is better soon.
posted by msconduct at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2010
hope your ouchy is better soon.
posted by msconduct at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2010
Response by poster: I must have teflon skin or something, because I've found the Tough Strips to be only slightly more durable than regular bandaids. The Nexcare...pfff. They typically rip after just few hours. They are literally just sticky foam!
"They even occasionally survive a shower"? I want a bandaid that will survive, at a minimum, 3 showers, plus washing dishes in a sink. You know, stuff humans do while waiting for wounds to heal.
The "ZEE" link looks possibly promising, although "a full day in a wet boot" doesn't hearten too much.
I have in fact even tried superglue (both directly and as an extra adhesive for the bandaids).
I was also thinking about cutting some duct tape strips and putting a little pad in there.
posted by DU at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2010
"They even occasionally survive a shower"? I want a bandaid that will survive, at a minimum, 3 showers, plus washing dishes in a sink. You know, stuff humans do while waiting for wounds to heal.
The "ZEE" link looks possibly promising, although "a full day in a wet boot" doesn't hearten too much.
I have in fact even tried superglue (both directly and as an extra adhesive for the bandaids).
I was also thinking about cutting some duct tape strips and putting a little pad in there.
posted by DU at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2010
Assuming you have washed the wound with soap and water, take the further step of cleaning the surrounding area with alcohol. This will remove any remaining surface oils and residues. Your band aid's adhesives will now stick much, much better. To really keep it on add first aid tape around the edges of the band aid.
posted by Oireachtac at 9:18 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by Oireachtac at 9:18 AM on January 28, 2010
I came in here to say Nexcare, but it looks like you've already pooh-pooh'ed them. There's two other kinds of Nexcare -- waterproof (do not like) and cloth ones (I think they stick better than the foam ones). But really? The foam ones stay on me till I'm ready to take them off. I've never had one fall off, even in an inconvenient area.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2010
Duct Tape Bandaids (if you can find them still in stock).
I've had luck with Curad Extreme Hold bandages. They made it through a few showers and I had to carefully coax them off with vegetable oil when I wanted them removed.
Seconding the use of alcohol around the wound to minimize your skin oils. Let it dry before putting on the bandage.
posted by BlooPen at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2010
I've had luck with Curad Extreme Hold bandages. They made it through a few showers and I had to carefully coax them off with vegetable oil when I wanted them removed.
Seconding the use of alcohol around the wound to minimize your skin oils. Let it dry before putting on the bandage.
posted by BlooPen at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2010
seconding duct tape and gauze, or else super glue. you have to reapply the super glue every couple of days and it gets peely, so moisturize your hands before you shower to get the flakes off, then when your hands are completely dry, glue the wound up again.
I do this a *lot* in the winter when my hands crack and I can't keep up with lotion.
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:30 AM on January 28, 2010
I do this a *lot* in the winter when my hands crack and I can't keep up with lotion.
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:30 AM on January 28, 2010
It's all about surface prep. Your hands must be clean and dry and ideally you clean the area with alcohol per Oireachtac's comment. Do not have any neosporin or other ointments anywhere near the adhesive part of the bandaid. The bandaid must come off the backing paper and go directly on your skin - the adhesive cannot touch anything in between (i.e. your fingers). Do not reposition the bandaid. If you are really meticulous the damn thing will stay on far longer than you want it for.
posted by GuyZero at 9:36 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by GuyZero at 9:36 AM on January 28, 2010
Response by poster: Actually, I joked about teflon skin but that's not even the real problem. The problem is that the bandaids don't stick to themselves. The part that invariably fails first is where the end of the bandage is supposed to stick to itself. First the edge peels up and that means it catches on things more often and water can seep under, then it fails more and more until BLAMMO.
In fact, that may be part of the reason the Good Ones I Once Had acted well. Good adhesive is only part of it. The other part was that the edges didn't peel, they frayed.
posted by DU at 9:46 AM on January 28, 2010
In fact, that may be part of the reason the Good Ones I Once Had acted well. Good adhesive is only part of it. The other part was that the edges didn't peel, they frayed.
posted by DU at 9:46 AM on January 28, 2010
Response by poster: Oh yeah, I think I had some Curad Extreme Hold ones and I think they worked pretty well. I also like the look of the Extreme Length ones. That way when the end peels up and I can snip it off and still have a working bandage.
I may also try those duct tape ones, although I could probably make my own a lot cheaper...
posted by DU at 9:49 AM on January 28, 2010
I may also try those duct tape ones, although I could probably make my own a lot cheaper...
posted by DU at 9:49 AM on January 28, 2010
There are several classes of Nexcare. The foam ones aren't what you want. You want the ones that are labeled as "heavy duty, clear" in a purple box.
They are essentially reinforced packing tape with a sterile pad in the middle. You're not going to be able to rip them if you try.
posted by toxic at 10:09 AM on January 28, 2010
They are essentially reinforced packing tape with a sterile pad in the middle. You're not going to be able to rip them if you try.
posted by toxic at 10:09 AM on January 28, 2010
The part that invariably fails first is where the end of the bandage is supposed to stick to itself.
I'd be willing to wager you touched the adhesive on that end with your thumb or finger as you applied the bandaid. I'm totally serious when I say that the adhesive will only hold to the first thing it touches. After that it's useless.
posted by GuyZero at 10:10 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd be willing to wager you touched the adhesive on that end with your thumb or finger as you applied the bandaid. I'm totally serious when I say that the adhesive will only hold to the first thing it touches. After that it's useless.
posted by GuyZero at 10:10 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have found that the cheap store brand ones have the stickiest adhesive.
posted by sageleaf at 10:15 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by sageleaf at 10:15 AM on January 28, 2010
For finger wounds, start keeping a small pair of scissors with your bandaids. Before you peel the backing off, slit each adhesive side in two. Then when you put the bandaid on, alternate and cross the layers so they sandwich each other. I've very rarely had bandaids slip off this way - I usually have to change them when they get gross, but they don't fall off.
I learned this method years ago from a now-gone YouTube video. Kudos to anyone that can find it now.
posted by Wulfhere at 10:16 AM on January 28, 2010
I learned this method years ago from a now-gone YouTube video. Kudos to anyone that can find it now.
posted by Wulfhere at 10:16 AM on January 28, 2010
Band Aid Advanced Healing are now called Activ-flex. They have a hydrocolloid material inside that absorbs fluids from the wound and turns into a kind of gel. The bandage seals all the way around and acts like an artificial scab. There's a shape specifically made to wrap around fingers. They heal wounds crazy fast and, provided you're careful to get the edges sealed down, they last a very long time. When I used them recently for a slow healing wound, I changed the bandage every other day or so and almost every time they were still actively stuck down all the way aroundl I think they'd get through two showers (but maybe not three) easy, although for for dish washing, gloves would still be your best bet for any bandage if for no other reason than immersion in water can impede wound healing.
posted by mostlymartha at 10:37 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by mostlymartha at 10:37 AM on January 28, 2010
Also, I've used Wulfhere's adhesive slitting method for finger cuts as well, and particularly when used with fabric bandages, it does a very nice job keeping them on.
posted by mostlymartha at 10:39 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by mostlymartha at 10:39 AM on January 28, 2010
As a carpenter I am always getting nicks and cuts on my fingers and I like to use the blue painter's tape. It's adhesive won't get gummy on your fingers and you get 60 yards in a roll. It isn't sterile but you know....danger is my middle name. You could always just put a strip of it over another bandage.
posted by leetheflea at 11:18 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by leetheflea at 11:18 AM on January 28, 2010
Just recently, I have found the Target (Up & Up) brand of band-aid to be exceptionally sticky. The wear and tear on these, in my experience, is due to fraying, not peeling. Water is not a problem.
posted by littlecatfeet at 11:37 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by littlecatfeet at 11:37 AM on January 28, 2010
I had to wear a band-aid on my back for quite some time one humid/sweaty summer, and I found that water-proof Band-Aids were great. I wanted the wound to "breathe" so I cut of a little bit of the edges (water-proof ones are meant to keep any water from touching the wound).
posted by radioamy at 12:11 PM on January 28, 2010
posted by radioamy at 12:11 PM on January 28, 2010
My brother swears by those Bandaid Activ-Flex on his hands - we have the same dry, cracking skin that my dad, my grandmother, my aunt, etc. have, so he's always putting bandaids on. (me? I work in an office and can afford to moisturize 16 times a day)
He works outdoors as a survey technician and after working outdoors all day, sweating in gloves or whatever, those things stay on.
If the edges of your bandaids don't stick to themselves and that's your main problem, can I suggest wrapping them around so the edges don't touch/meet? That way they stay sticking to your skin. Might not 'peel up' so fast that way.
posted by sandraregina at 2:12 PM on January 28, 2010
He works outdoors as a survey technician and after working outdoors all day, sweating in gloves or whatever, those things stay on.
If the edges of your bandaids don't stick to themselves and that's your main problem, can I suggest wrapping them around so the edges don't touch/meet? That way they stay sticking to your skin. Might not 'peel up' so fast that way.
posted by sandraregina at 2:12 PM on January 28, 2010
I stock first aid kits as part of my job and Coverlet bandages are what I use. I have never seen a better bandage, and I have probably tried them all.
posted by Danf at 2:37 PM on January 28, 2010
posted by Danf at 2:37 PM on January 28, 2010
Just so it doesn't get lost in the noise...Elastoplast is what you want. They seem to get even more securely attached as the days go by.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:51 PM on January 28, 2010
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:51 PM on January 28, 2010
Band-Aid Ultra-Strips were the first bandages that really impressed me, and they're all I buy these days. I really think you should be replacing them every day or two anyhow, though, and they definitely last that long.
posted by you're a kitty! at 4:20 PM on January 28, 2010
posted by you're a kitty! at 4:20 PM on January 28, 2010
Assuming you have washed the wound with soap and water, take the further step of cleaning the surrounding area with alcohol. This will remove any remaining surface oils and residues. Your band aid's adhesives will now stick much, much better. To really keep it on add first aid tape around the edges of the band aid.
That is what I ws coming to say. Also spend the extra money on the good Nexcare ones. Or resign yourself to replacing them multiple times a day.
I have the same issues with bandages, and medical tape, it peels off my skin fairly quickly. Which is a bad thing when you have multiple surgeries like I have.
posted by SuzySmith at 1:42 AM on January 29, 2010
That is what I ws coming to say. Also spend the extra money on the good Nexcare ones. Or resign yourself to replacing them multiple times a day.
I have the same issues with bandages, and medical tape, it peels off my skin fairly quickly. Which is a bad thing when you have multiple surgeries like I have.
posted by SuzySmith at 1:42 AM on January 29, 2010
If you have wounds that require 3+ days of bandaging, it's probably not very sanitary to keep the same bandage on the whole time.
posted by spamguy at 6:58 AM on January 29, 2010
posted by spamguy at 6:58 AM on January 29, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mr. remy at 7:34 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]