Adhesive bandage

Typical sticking plaster

Reverse of a sticking plaster

Opened sticking plaster, showing the non-adhesive absorbent pad and adhesive

A sticking plaster (called an adhesive bandage in the United States) is a small medical dressing, used for injuries not serious enough to require a bandage.

A plaster usually has an absorbent pad (often medicated with antiseptic) covered by woven fabric, plastic, or latex rubber which has an adhesive. The plaster is applied such that the pad covers the wound (but does not stick to the wound), and the fabric or plastic sticks to the surrounding skin to hold the dressing in place and prevent dirt from entering the wound.

Food handlers are often required to wear special detectable plasters. These are waterproof, have strong adhesive so they are less likely to fall off, and are usually bright blue in colour (so that it is obvious to the wearer if it has fallen off into some food). They are also detectable by special machines that are used in food manufacturing plants to ensure food is free from foreign objects before it is shipped to the public.

Sticking plasters are often called by their brand names such as Elastoplast or BAND-AID.

Examples

• BAND-AID
• Curad
• Elastoplast
• Kinesio Tape — used by sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy
• McConnell Tape — used by sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy
• Micropore
• Vetrap — used by sports medicine and veterinarians