Use warm water and soap to wash your hands. Be sure to remove all visible dirt on the skin as well as under the fingernails. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song to yourself twice. After washing, dry your hands to remove all moisture. If you aren’t able to wash your hands with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol. Do not attempt to remove a liquid bandage if your doctor has advised against it.
It is important to have the skin around the bandage clean, especially if the wound has not had time to heal. Once the bandage has been removed, the wound is open and susceptible to bacterial infection. Optionally, you can remove the bandage after taking a bath to ensure your skin is clean. Do not use alcohol, iodine or other antiseptic liquids as these may cause skin irritation. [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
You can soften the bandage by applying a new layer of the liquid bandage over the old one. This will help soften the bond between your skin and the bandage. Optionally, you can place a clean, wet towel over the bandage to soften it and loosen the bond between it and your skin. You can also soften the bandage during a bath, or by giving the bandaged area a soak in a bowl of water.
If the edges are not “peeling off”, take a wet cloth and wipe the bandage away. Do this before the bandage begins to harden after being softened. You may need to gently rub the area with a towel to help remove the bandage, but do this only if it does not injure the wound underneath. Try not to drag or scrub the towel over the area.
If the skin (or wound) appears healthy, you can leave it as is after you have removed the liquid bandage; there is no need to apply a new bandage if your skin has healed. However, if the wound has not healed, you may want to re-apply a new liquid bandage (see below). Do not apply alcohol, iodine or other antiseptic liquids on the wound as these may cause irritation.
Use warm water and soap to wash your hands. Be sure to remove all visible dirt on the skin as well as under the fingernails. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song to yourself twice. After washing, dry your hands to remove all moisture. If you aren’t able to wash your hands with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol. Do not attempt to remove a liquid bandage if your doctor has advised against it.
It is important to have the skin around the bandage clean, especially if the wound has not had time to heal. Once the bandage has been removed, the wound is open and susceptible to bacterial infection. Optionally, you can remove the bandage after taking a bath to ensure your skin is clean. Do not use alcohol, iodine or other antiseptic liquids as these may cause skin irritation. [6] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
If the edges are not “peeling off”, take a wet cloth and wipe the bandage away. Do this before the bandage begins to harden after being softened. You may need to gently rub the area with a towel to help remove the bandage, but do this only if it does not injure the wound underneath. Try not to drag or scrub the towel over the area.
If the skin (or wound) appears healthy, you can leave it as is after you have removed the liquid bandage; there is no need to apply a new bandage if your skin has healed. However, if the wound has not healed, you may want to re-apply a new liquid bandage (see below). Do not apply alcohol, iodine or other antiseptic liquids on the wound as these may cause irritation.
If the wound is bleeding, stop the bleeding first before applying the bandage. Press the wound with a towel and hold the pressure until the bleeding has stopped. You can also press an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or towel over the wound to reduce blood flow and stop the bleeding. [9] X Research source Elevating the wound above the level of your heart can also reduce bleeding. Liquid bandages should only be applied over minor wounds, such as superficial cuts, abrasions and scrapes that are not deep and do not bleed heavily. If the wound is deep or bleeds heavily for over 10 minutes (regardless of attempts to stop the bleeding), seek medical attention immediately. [10] X Research source
If the wound is a cut, bring the edges of the wound together with your fingers to help seal the wound. Do not place the liquid bandage inside the wound. It should be applied only on the surface of the affected area.
Do not apply another layer of liquid bandage over the old one after it has dried. This will loosen the old bandage.
Do not apply any lotions, oils, gels, or ointments over the affected area. This will weaken the bond between the liquid bondage and your skin. Avoid scratching the site as this may remove the liquid bandage. The liquid bandage will fall off naturally in 5 to 10 days.
