rash from adhesive bandages - Allergies Message Board

nancy f · 09-13-2008, 11:58 AM

I too developed a rash under a (cheap) bandage (latex free-made in China) after wearing it for a minor scrape, and it was very itchy. Now my whole right arm is very itchy (for about weeks now) and I even have bumps all the way up my arm. The original scrap was on my forearm just below my elbow. I've been using cortisone creme.

Does it sound like more than an allergic reaction?

MountainReader · 09-13-2008, 08:21 PM

It is an allergic reaction called contact dermatitis.

I've become allergic to the adhesive in bandages over the last few years. It is the adhesive, not the bandage. At first, it was to a specific brand. Now, it pretty much applies to most all adhaesive bandages. Sometimes, the rash may be small that clears up quickly. Last spring, I had a bandage on overnight to cover a burn. I ended up needing medical treatment for the allergic reaction and it took about 6 weeks to clear up. Paper tape and guaze are suggested in place of the adhesive bandages, but that causes problems for me too.