No, don’t go to your public pool. Soak in the bathtub for a bit, and then try removing the bandage. A leisurely shower may work as well. You can also just apply a wet compress (such as a clean rag soaked in warm water) to the bandage and wait for it to soak through. [1] X Research source Taking a 15- to 20-minute bubble bath can help loosen the adhesive as well and it can be especially useful for kids.
Use a cotton ball, cotton swab, or just your finger to massage the product into the adhesive areas of the bandage. Work it in and allow it to saturate those areas of the bandage. Peel a corner of the bandage up to see if the adhesion has been weakened. If not, keep working in the oil or soap. If so, peel away the rest of the bandage in a quick motion. Use your other hand to gently press the surrounding skin down, if necessary. One tip for kids is adding food coloring to baby oil so that you can “paint” the mixture onto the bandage with cotton swabs. Make it a fun experience instead of a worrisome one. [2] X Research source
There are also adhesive removal products marketed for bandage removal. Check medical or surgical supply stores if not available at your drugstore. [4] X Research source
Small wounds actually heal better in a moist environment, in which blood vessels regenerate faster and inflammation-causing cells multiply more slowly. So, preventing scab formation actually aids the healing process. [5] X Research source It may be no surprise that the company behind Band-Aids promotes covering cuts and scrapes instead of airing them out, but they have science on their side. [6] X Research source
Stop the bleeding of a minor cut or scrape by applying pressure with gauze, a paper towel, a clean cloth, etc. Apply gentle pressure for up to 15 minutes, until all bleeding has stopped. For a large cut or wound, an excessively dirty wound, or a wound that won’t stop bleeding, get medical help. Rinse the area with clean water and gently clean the wound with soap and water. Rinse again and pat dry with a clean cloth, etc. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or one of those old wound cleaners your grandfather swore by – just plain old soap and water. Hydrogen peroxide and iodine can irritate an injury.
That said, plain old petroleum jelly will provide the same moistening / lubricating benefit. [9] X Research source Apply a small dab only over the wound itself, so the bandage will stick where it should.
Especially when wrapping a bandage around a finger (or a larger bandage wrap around an arm or leg), make it tight enough to stay in place and prevent a gap between pad and wound, but not so tight that it hampers blood flow. If your finger tingles or turns purple-ish, it’s too tight. Apply a new bandage if the old one gets dirty or saturated with water.
Use warm water, a fresh, clean razor, and don’t shave over the wound itself. Unless you want to have patchy hairless spots along with your small scars, you probably should try the other bandage removal procedures discussed in this article before resorting to this step.
So, perhaps painful bandage removals will be a thing of the past soon.
