An adhesive bandage, also called a sticking plaster, medical plaster, or simply plaster in British English, is a small medical dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full-size bandage. They are also known by the genericized trademarks of Band-Aid (as "band-aid" or "band aid" in Australia, Canada, India and the US) or Elastoplast (in the UK)[citation needed].
Typical adhesive bandage
Reverse of an adhesive bandage, showing backing
Opened adhesive bandage, showing the non-adhesive absorbent pad, adhesive area (colored) and backing (peeled back)
The adhesive bandage protects the wound and scab from friction, bacteria, damage, and dirt. Thus, the healing process of the body is less disturbed. Some of the dressings have antiseptic properties. An additional function is to hold the two cut ends of the skin together to make the healing process faster.[1]
Design
An adhesive bandage is a small, flexible sheet of material which is sticky on one side, with a smaller, non-sticky, absorbent pad stuck to the sticky side. The pad is placed against the wound, and overlapping edges of the sticky material are smoothed down so they stick to the surrounding skin. Adhesive bandages are generally packaged in a sealed, sterile bag, with a backing covering the sticky side; the backing is removed as the bandage is applied. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes.
Materials
A hydrogel dressing. An entirely transparent adhesive bandage, with a transparent hydrogel pad and adhesive waterproof plastic film (removable backing is blue and white).
The backing and bag are often made of coated paper, but may be made of plastic.
The adhesive sheet is usually a woven fabric, plastic (PVC, polyethylene or polyurethane), or latex strip. It may or may not be waterproof; if it is airtight, the bandage is an occlusive dressing. The adhesive is commonly an acrylate, including methacrylates and epoxy diacrylates (which are also known as vinyl resins).[2]
The absorbent pad is often made of cotton, and there is sometimes a thin, porous-polymer coating over the pad, to keep it from sticking to the wound. The pad may also be medicated with an antiseptic solution. In some bandages, the pad is made of a water-absorbing hydrogel. This is especially common in dressings used on blisters, as the gel acts as a cushion.[medical citation needed]
Some people have allergies to some of these materials, particularly latex and some adhesives.[3]
Colors
Due to being widely available only in a standard color, some people with skin tones darker than the standard bandage color have expressed frustration at having to use bandages that looked less conspicuous on the skin of fairer-skinned people. This has led to greater support for pharmaceutical companies that manufacture these bandages in a variety of skin tones.[4]
Some bandages, especially those designed for children, may come in a wide variety of colors or may feature cartoon characters.
Special bandages are used by food preparation workers. These are waterproof, have strong adhesive so they are less likely to fall off, and are usually blue so that they are more clearly visible in food. Some include a metal strip detectable by machines used in food manufacturing to ensure that food is free from foreign objects.[5]
Variants
A wound held closed with butterfly closures.
Transdermal patches are adhesive bandages with the function to distribute medication through the skin, rather than protecting a wound.[6]
Butterfly closures, also known as butterfly stitches, are generally thin adhesive strips which can be used to close small wounds. They are applied across the laceration in a manner which pulls the skin on either side of the wound together. They are not true sutures, but can often be used in addition to, or in place of actual sutures for small wounds. Butterfly stitches can be advantageous in that they do not need a medical professional to be placed or removed, and are thus a common item in first aid kits.[7]
^"Code of Federal Regulations Title 21". April 1, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
^Daniel More, MD. "Allergy to Bandages and Adhesives". About.com Health.
^Daniel More, MD. "Allergic Reactions to Adhesive Bandages". About.com Health.
^Business, Chauncey Alcorn CNN (12 June 2020). "Band-Aid will make black and brown flesh-toned bandages". CNN. Retrieved 2021-05-25. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^. safetyfirstaid.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2014-12-02.
^Segal, Marian. "Patches, Pumps and Timed Release: New Ways to Deliver Drugs". Food and Drug Administration. from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
^"How do I apply butterfly stitches?". www.nhs.uk. 26 June 2018.
External links
Media related to Adhesive bandages at Wikimedia Commons
January 20, 2023
adhesive, bandage, adhesive, bandage, also, called, sticking, plaster, medical, plaster, simply, plaster, british, english, small, medical, dressing, used, injuries, serious, enough, require, full, size, bandage, they, also, known, genericized, trademarks, ban. An adhesive bandage also called a sticking plaster medical plaster or simply plaster in British English is a small medical dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full size bandage They are also known by the genericized trademarks of Band Aid as band aid or band aid in Australia Canada India and the US or Elastoplast in the UK citation needed Typical adhesive bandage Reverse of an adhesive bandage showing backing Opened adhesive bandage showing the non adhesive absorbent pad adhesive area colored and backing peeled back Contents 1 Function 2 Design 3 Materials 4 Colors 5 Variants 6 Notable brands 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksFunction EditThe adhesive bandage protects the wound and scab from friction bacteria damage and dirt Thus the healing process of the body is less disturbed Some of the dressings have antiseptic properties An additional function is to hold the two cut ends of the skin together to make the healing process faster 1 Design EditAn adhesive bandage is a small flexible sheet of material which is sticky on one side with a smaller non sticky absorbent pad stuck to the sticky side The pad is placed against the wound and overlapping edges of the sticky material are smoothed down so they stick to the surrounding skin Adhesive bandages are generally packaged in a sealed sterile bag with a backing covering the sticky side the backing is removed as the bandage is applied They come in a variety of sizes and shapes Materials Edit A hydrogel dressing An entirely transparent adhesive bandage with a transparent hydrogel pad and adhesive waterproof plastic film removable backing is blue and white The backing and bag are often made of coated paper but may be made of plastic The adhesive sheet is usually a woven fabric plastic PVC polyethylene or polyurethane or latex strip It may or may not be waterproof if it is airtight the bandage is an occlusive dressing The adhesive is commonly an acrylate including methacrylates and epoxy diacrylates which are also known as vinyl resins 2 The absorbent pad is often made of cotton and there is sometimes a thin porous polymer coating over the pad to keep it from sticking to the wound The pad may also be medicated with an antiseptic solution In some bandages the pad is made of a water absorbing hydrogel This is especially common in dressings used on blisters as the gel acts as a cushion medical citation needed Some people have allergies to some of these materials particularly latex and some adhesives 3 Colors EditDue to being widely available only in a standard color some people with skin tones darker than the standard bandage color have expressed frustration at having to use bandages that looked less conspicuous on the skin of fairer skinned people This has led to greater support for pharmaceutical companies that manufacture these bandages in a variety of skin tones 4 Some bandages especially those designed for children may come in a wide variety of colors or may feature cartoon characters Special bandages are used by food preparation workers These are waterproof have strong adhesive so they are less likely to fall off and are usually blue so that they are more clearly visible in food Some include a metal strip detectable by machines used in food manufacturing to ensure that food is free from foreign objects 5 Variants Edit A wound held closed with butterfly closures Transdermal patches are adhesive bandages with the function to distribute medication through the skin rather than protecting a wound 6 Butterfly closures also known as butterfly stitches are generally thin adhesive strips which can be used to close small wounds They are applied across the laceration in a manner which pulls the skin on either side of the wound together They are not true sutures but can often be used in addition to or in place of actual sutures for small wounds Butterfly stitches can be advantageous in that they do not need a medical professional to be placed or removed and are thus a common item in first aid kits 7 Notable brands EditBand Aid Curad Elastoplast NexcareSee also EditDressing medical References Edit Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 April 1 2015 Retrieved September 9 2015 Daniel More MD Allergy to Bandages and Adhesives About com Health Daniel More MD Allergic Reactions to Adhesive Bandages About com Health Business Chauncey Alcorn CNN 12 June 2020 Band Aid will make black and brown flesh toned bandages CNN Retrieved 2021 05 25 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Blue Detectable Plasters safetyfirstaid co uk Archived from the original on 2014 09 09 Retrieved 2014 12 02 Segal Marian Patches Pumps and Timed Release New Ways to Deliver Drugs Food and Drug Administration Archived from the original on 2007 02 10 Retrieved 2007 02 24 How do I apply butterfly stitches www nhs uk 26 June 2018 External links Edit Media related to Adhesive bandages at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Adhesive bandage amp oldid 1127996878, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
