Injuries can happen anywhere, anytime without you being fully aware of it. An unexpected accident can sometimes be mild or very fatal for the victim.
Whenever a person gets injured, they will usually try to assess the severity of the injury first. Mild injury such as small bruises, will usually tended by using natural ointments or using ice packs to reduce the bruises. That’s why bandage is important in first aid kid box.
Bandage Tape Types
However, what happens if the victim suffers from heavy injuries such as sprained arms or elbow in your workplace or while sporting? That is when you need to use bandage tape on the victim’s arms.
Did you know that there are 6 different types of bandage tape and each of them has their own specific usage? Let’s learn about these 6 bandage tape types and their functions.
1. Paper And Surgical Tape
These types of bandage tape are used to attached bandages, gauze, and other similar types of dressings to the victim’s skin. What makes this type different from the others is its soft outer texture.
Besides that, paper and surgical tapes have a gentle adhesive that enable frequent changing of the bandage tape while making sure that no further damage occurs around the injury.
Its material, is hypoallergenic and latex free, hence mild to the skin. It is also cheaper than the rest of bandage types and made of breathable material so it will maintain skin integrity.
Despite the pros, it also has its own cons such as not being waterproof, and you need to make sure the skin is dry in order for it to stick to the affected area effectively.
2. Transpore Tape
Transpore tapes is the preferable choice for medical practitioners and it is usually used on the ambulance during emergencies as it provides the best adhesion to the skin. It is transparent in nature and has pores for breathability.
As for wounds that require frequent dressings change, it is advisable to use paper tapes instead of transpore tapes because it has a strong adhesive quality, which makes it difficult for the victim to change it.
3. Cloth Tape
A cloth tape has a woven backing that is breathable as well as being very easy to tear. It is used to secure splints as it is able to stick better to other objects than it does to the victim’s skin.
However, you must take note that this type of bandage tape does not stretch, and will only be attached to dry application sites. This means that wet application sites will prevent it from properly attaching itself on the object.
4. Waterproof Tape
As the name suggests, it is waterproof in nature, so you could use this tape in a wet environment. It is also hypoallergenic, and has a thick cushion which is very suitable to be used for tending to blisters or chaffing.
However, having a thick cushion for this tape will also take some space in your first aid kit, and it is harder to tear compared to other types of bandage tape.
5. Athletic (Zinc Oxide) Tape
You must have seen this type of bandage as it is quite popular amongst athletes. Malaysian athletes such as Lee Chong Wei use this tape on their ankles or wrists sometimes when they sustain an injury on that particular part of the body.
It’s mainly used to prevent injuries and adds support to the sprains area. Besides that, it is also ideal to be used to cover hot spots where blisters are beginning to take its shape.
It is flexible in nature, made out of easy to tear materials, however it is only meant to be used for short term because it could damage your skin when you take it off after wearing it for a long time.
6. Kinesiology Tape
Kinesiology tape is regularly used to treat muscle soreness and support joints. The material used for this tape is meant to increase the blood flow to a specific area which will speed up the healing process.
This tape can be worn for several days, waterproof in nature, it does not restrict your movement, and can be used on any part of your body. However, it is not suitable to be used to support a sprained joint.
Those are the 6 bandage tape types and their functions. You can choose which types of bandage tape that you want to have for your first aid kit in the office or WhatsApp us for any enquiry.
