# Painful band-aid removal abatement issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 13, 2000, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738 "2000-10-13T00:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/1 "2000-10-13T00:08:51Z")
I just gave some blood today, and the band aid they put over the wound is _really_ sticky. I have a fair amount of hair on my arms and my careful efforts to inch it off are proving quite painful. Does anyone have any handy hints using household products to dissolve or inactivate the adhesive on band-aids? S ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/2 "2000-10-13T00:13:48Z")
Just tear the damn thing off really fast. It will only hurt for a second. Trust me. If pulling a few hairs out of your arm very quickly is the most painful thing you will ever experience, consider yourself fortunate. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/3 "2000-10-13T00:36:20Z")
BobT is quite correct. It’s what my mother always said and she must know. (?!) Or why not apply some of your explosive Prince Rupert’s Drops to it? Heh heh heh and tee hee hee. ---
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/4 "2000-10-13T00:39:41Z")
Thanks, C for all of your help. Call me a wimp, but there must be a better way… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/5 "2000-10-13T01:19:48Z")
When I have a particularly bad one, what I’ll do is take a small scissors and snip away the hair underneath, as I pull. It takes forever, but it’s relatively painless. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/6 "2000-10-13T01:35:48Z")
Try the Distraction Method. Have a friend or partner stand close to you. On the count of 5, I mean 3, you rip off the bandaid while at the same time your assistant hits you smartly in the head. You won’t notice the pain in your arm at all. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/7 "2000-10-13T01:43:22Z")
A household hint I once read suggested moistening the band-aid with mineral oil to soften up the adhesive before yanking it off. ---
**Author:** ![Renton\_lvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Renton\_lvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renton_lvr)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/8 "2000-10-13T02:10:30Z")
I think some Goo Gone would do the trick. I don’t know how safe it is to pour on a wound but there are no warnings on the bottle indicating that you should keep it away from your skin. ---
**Author:** ![Renton\_lvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Renton\_lvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renton_lvr)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/9 "2000-10-13T02:14:56Z")
You could also just sit in the bath for 40 minutes. I have yet to meet a band aid that sticks after a long time in warm water. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/10 "2000-10-13T17:22:56Z")
StuyGuy’s suggestion of mineral oil should work, as would any similar product: vegetable oil, Pam cooking spray, WD-40 - although you have to wait a while for the adhesive to soften, and multiple applications may be needed. Not to mention the smell. Maybe next time just shave the elbow-pit first, before you get tapped? BTW, all the above also work for removing those annoying price tags and “fruit labels” (although I wouldn’t recommend WD-40 for getting tags off apples…) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Don](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e95f7d/32.png) [@Engineer\_Don](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Don)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/11 "2000-10-13T17:32:48Z")
Sweat works quite well on the sticky-after-giving-blood bandages. I got the hairy arms too, and I’m O neg, so the blood banks call alot. It’s kind of gross, but just get someplace hot and workout your arm and shoulder until sweat is pouring out. Soak it good, and then rest a bit and it will come right off. The distraction thing works well too. Slap your arm good and yank the bandage off. The goo stuff will come off with soap in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/12 "2000-10-13T17:40:05Z")
I once had a bandaid on my breat and when i yanked it off quick, lots of skin came away too, looked like a sunburn peel, but it was raw underneath. If i yank the bandaid off hubby’s arm fast, he gets pimples at the base of the hairs. Rubbing alcohol seems to help on the bandaids we use. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/13 "2000-10-13T19:39:51Z")
Lee, it sounds like you had an allergic reaction to the adhesive in the bandage. This is becoming more and more of a problem in hospitals, and may be related to changing formulations in bandage adhesives. Next time, try a different brand of bandage, or one of the “non-allergic” types you can get now. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/14 "2000-10-13T20:36:44Z")
Wimps ---
**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/15 "2000-10-13T20:58:47Z")
It’s not just for inanimate objects anymore! There is a product called Resolve. It’s specifically designed to remove/dissolve gum, adhesives from labels, stickers, etc… I have never tried it on a “Band-Aid”, but I will the next time I need to remove one. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/16 "2000-10-13T21:39:40Z")
Wussies. BTW, most mineral solvents will have warnings to the effect that they are carcinogenic and it is not a good idea to use them on your skin. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/17 "2000-10-13T22:50:46Z")
**sailor** , it is a violation of the rules of this forum to insult your fellow members. You have violated this rule. This is a official warning. Further infractions will result in notification to the Administrators of this site and may result in further action, up to revocation of your posting priviliges. Do not do this again. ---
**Author:** ![shorin-ryu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shorin-ryu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shorin-ryu)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/18 "2000-10-13T23:28:48Z")
I’m a regular Red Cross pheresis donor. That’s where they they take blood out of one arm, run it through a machine to separate out the platelets and some plasma, combine what’s left with saline and an anticoagulant, and return it to your other arm. In the past year the nurses there have started using “vet wrap,” which adheres to itself and not to hair or skin. Heaven! (Or as close to it as a bandage can get, I suppose.) You might recommend that your local Red Cross start carrying it too–or start carrying a roll with you to donations, in a pinch. Yeah, it doesn’t help you now, I suppose–but maybe it can prevent future pain. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painful-band-aid-removal-abatement-issues/36738/19 "2000-10-15T03:59:44Z")
Assuming you still have the bandage on, here’s an idea I am surprised no one mentioned yet. (Of course, it is possible that I just overlooked it–if so, sorry!) Just take a hair dryer and set it on the “hot” setting. Let the hot air warm the bandaid and it should somewhat melt the adhesive next to your skin making it less painful to remove.