Allergic to med tape???

[emily_0192010 168]

Hey everyone

I had my surgery last week and my drain removed yesterday. I've noticed today that I have (sorry if it is TMI...) a rash that has popped up around where the bandages were (about half are gone now). It is red and itchy (almost a burning sensation) and very irritated. Normally when I have come in contact with medical tape before my skin gets red but it goes away very quickly. Not this time. It is definitely from the tape and not an infection because it is in the shape of the tape and I have no other signs of infection.

I am worried about the one near my belly button because the surgical tape that covered the incision came off today, and the rash is very close to it and I don't want to do anything to cause an infection. If it doesn't get better I am definitely going to call my surgeon's office, but in the meantime does anyone have any suggestions to help treat this at home? I took a shower today and used some of the pre-op wash I was given (it says right on it that it can be used and all of my incisions are closed) and then I made sure that all of the adhesive was off of my skin. On one of the spots I tried using a little bit of benadryl cream, but it didn't help. Any suggestions would be great Thanks!

[Shoppingbeemom 31]

I get that too. I prepared before the surgery this time and had other bandages available. The only thing I know to do with this kind of rash is to clean it well, dry it well, and keep it open to the air. Best wishes

[Tippy2us 11]

You are alergic to latex! It's something that develops over time and gets worst with time. From now on you need to list it as something you are allergic to. I'm the same way and it's awful! I would suggest "googling" it to see if there's something really good to put on it. Good luck!

[emily_0192010 168]

I get that too. I prepared before the surgery this time and had other bandages available. The only thing I know to do with this kind of rash is to clean it well, dry it well, and keep it open to the air. Best wishes

Keeping it open to the air is what I'd like to do, however the one incision by my belly button still has to be covered. I am using the smallest piece of tape ever to keep it on, but now I am wondering if the gauze pad is also contributing to the problem. Hopefully the areas where there are no bandages start to get better soon. I knew that I have sensitive skin, and the few times I've had bloodwork the tape has left some red marks, but they've always disappeared really fast so I didn't even consider that possibility. Thanks for the input!

[emily_0192010 168]

You are alergic to latex! It's something that develops over time and gets worst with time. From now on you need to list it as something you are allergic to. I'm the same way and it's awful! I would suggest "googling" it to see if there's something really good to put on it. Good luck!

I'm wondering if that is it. Especially since the areas that have not had contact with anything for almost 12 hours now are still there, and not really getting better. I did use some benadryl cream on the one area (away from the incisions) and it didn't seem to have much of an effect. How did you learn about the allergy?

[starshine 0]

Hey Emily!! I had the same exact thing. I even had a couple blisters where the tape was. I put Caladryl on when the itching was driving me crazy and then just waited it out. It's gone now.

[emily_0192010 168]

Hey Emily!! I had the same exact thing. I even had a couple blisters where the tape was. I put Caladryl on when the itching was driving me crazy and then just waited it out. It's gone now.

Caladryl? I've never heard of that. A couple of mine started blistering this morning (and I had already taken the tape off, so it shouldn't have gotten worse!) so I went ahead and called the office, they are talking to the doctor and then are going to call me back. I thought for sure it was the tape, but I realized this morning that I had been using the paper tape, which isn't supposed to irritate the skin. I'm glad that I'm not the only one though! Most of the surgical tape came off yesterday but there is still one there. The corners have come up and I can see that the rash is underneath it as well.... right where the incision is. I'm just hoping it won't get worse and cause an infection.

[LindaS 316]

I had the same thing. As soon as the redness arrived, I removed the steri-strips that were elsewhere, and I'm glad I did. I put Neosporin with pain treatment on them and tried to let them open to air as much as possible. I washed the area daily and also used rubbing alcohol to help dry things up.

It lasted just over a week, but it did clear up before my three week check up. It started after my drain was removed at one week.

[Gaylebco 11]

I know exactly how you feel!. I'm allergic to paper tape and it hurt and itched forever!. I was lucky and got a doc to prescfibe me bactroban....wonderful! And for everyone -- use a hair dryer on your belly button site on a nice cool low setting to dry your sites!

Good luck!

[emily_0192010 168]

Well I called my surgeon's office and after waiting two hours for them to call me back they said to try hydrocortizone cream... we'll see if it works! But it is horrible. I've never had a rash like this before and to be honest it is more uncomfortable than my incisions were during the first week. If it hasn't gotten better by Monday I am going to call them again! Oh, and it was paper tape too that I was using, so I am guessing it is the adhesive that bugs me.