Please Help! How do you remove sticky adhesive from skin?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Specializes in Telemetry/CCU/Home Health.

Hi all,

I am new to home care and have a recently discharged from rehab patient who has a lot of adhesive left on his skin from telemetry monitoring. I know it has been there for awhile because last I checked they don't do tele monitoring in rehab, and he was there for two weeks! He is very upset that no one seems to be able to get it off. Apparently so far alcohol nor soap and water has helped. Does anyone know a good safe way to do this?

The patient told me someone told him to use WD40!

I could just imagine writing that nursing note.

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jamie

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Try vaseline or vegetable oil.

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Specializes in hospital/physicians office/long term car.

They actually have adhesive remover pads that come in a little package like the alcohol wipes.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Adehesive remover pledgets or fingernail polish remover.

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We always use alcohol pads, comes right off. Good luck.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Baby oil.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I had those stickies on me after I had to wear a holter monitor - nothing would get it off! Finally just wore off.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Detachol?

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Specializes in Emergency.

Adhesive remover. Though since your pt arrived with a ton of it remaining my guess is the facility he came from didn't stock it. I have found some don't as it is not so cheap.

Rj

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

They have adhesive remover pads that look like alcohol pads. The active ingredient is mineral oil. If you don't have any of that available ask dietary if they can bring you some vegetable oil and that should take it off.

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We have plaster remover (a band aid is called a plaster in the UK).

It's not acetone kinda oil based I think and it makes the glue roll up and off the skin.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Something greasy should help. I would be careful about anything that might be caustic, like acetone, as the patient could get a serious skin burn. I would also complain to the facility that did the procedures and left on the electrodes!

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