Removing the bandage can cause as much pain as the injury if not done correctly.
After the tears and screams caused by the initial injury, it is understandable to not want to cause any additional pain when you remove the bandage. The adhesive on bandages is very effective, as it needs to stay connected to the skin as well as possible. Removing the adhesive can cause a lot of pain when it pulls at the child's skin and hair, but there are a few pain-saving tricks.
Baby Oil
The center of the bandage is the part that covers the injury, and the outer sides house the adhesive. Coating the adhesive ends in baby oil dissolves the adhesive material over time. Wait for a few minutes as the oil coats the plaster before trying to remove the bandage from the child's skin. Without the adhesive, removing the bandage should be virtually painless.
Vodka
Coating the outer sides of the bandage with vodka is another way of dissolving the adhesive strips. Vodka is a sterile and may be easier to obtain than baby oil. Although you may feel wrong putting vodka on a child's skin, it is a good way to clean a wound. You can also use rubbing alcohol in place of the vodka. The principle is the same as the baby oil trick; the vodka dissolves the adhesive, and the bandage can be removed painlessly.
Salt Water
Use warm salt water if the bandage is stuck to the scab that formed over the cut. This can be exceptionally painful as it rips the scab off and re-opens the cut. Apply warm salt water and wait. To make the salt water, add a teaspoon of salt to a gallon of water. How well the bandage is fused to the scab determines how long you will have to wait to pull it free. Patience is vital, because if you remove the scab along with the bandage, your child is back where he started, with an open wound.
Scissors
Cut the central, padded part of the bandage free using a small pair of scissors. Snip the central portion free, and then the adhesive can be removed separately. After the padded portion of the bandage has been efficiently removed, you can use either vodka or baby oil to soak the adhesive strips before removing them. If the bandage adhesive is resting on any hair, pull it free in the direction the hair is growing to minimize the pain of removal.
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