Bandaid on Head/Hair - how to get off? Without infection... archived

Bumping my own post.

Are you allowed to go in the shower with it and let warm water assist? Failing that, how about spray sterile saline water (available in the drug store). Used for cleaning wounds etc. so should be OK. My last thought -- which is a bit gooky -- is mineral oil on cotton. Is slippery like the peanut butter etc...good luck. The unscented etc. kind.

thanks. They told me i could wash my hair - and then to try to keep it dry and clean w/ antibiotics. I will try the shower first. I just don't want an infection you know?

Stupid thing really hurts. Don't know why she put a hard-core bandaid on there - thought they were supposed to use a gauze or something then some surgical tape.

The spray saline is really handy for bandage removal when cuts or incisions have got stuck to the gauze. Hot shower will similarly. Yeah, that does sound kinda dumb (the bandaid stuff). Seems like you could use mineral oil on the glue if you need it, then wash your hair to get rid of the mineral oil

Shower worked. I am a little dizzy from it hurting, but I think that was just stupidity and I should have taken tylenol this morning. Spent 20 minutes in the shower hot water w/o hurting myself and steam and gentle shampoo. Came out on third wash. rinsed really well. Going to take some tylenol then put antibiotic ointment on it.


You think that should be fine? I don't want to put another four-sided bandage on it and have to get it off again.

Definitely going to buy spray saline for the future just in case. He might do more biopsys but he is not sure yet. Ugh. So glad I didn't have to drive to my cousins and have her cut it out. I am losing enough hair - don't need a bigger "bald" spot than I already have!

You ought to doublecheck w/ doc on the bandage, but i would gauze plus tape is adequate. Sorry you're going through such a time.

I will have to call them on Monday - they are closed today. Doc only works 2 or 3 days a month - he is a specialist in the city. long story.

I will have to go buy gauze and tape. I did put some antibiotic ointment on it for now. Will go to the store in a few to get the stuff.

you should be able to get bandages that won't hurt as much taking them off. another suggestion is the liquid bandage stuff. i'd ask you doctor though. or, you could wrap a gauze in place with gauze wrap. might bot look so good but at least it will be covered.

be careful in the shower if you are dizzy. you might want to put a sturdy step stool (with out wheels) of some sort or folding chair in the shower until you're a little stronger. we used a folding chair for the few few weeks after i came home from the hospital.

When my daughter had a bad open wound on her foot that had to heal from the inside out and be cleaned with saline solutions several times a day, the doctors recommended a gauze pad, held in place with "paper tape" (like adhesive tape, comes in a roll, but pulls off w/o hurting the skin). I still had to soak the gauze pad with a saline solution to get it off the open wound, but the paper tape came off easily.

Would that work for you?

I can't believe your doctor doesn't have a service that will take your call and relay your very simple question about bandaging to someone who can give you an authoritative answer. Barring that, did you consider asking your pharmacist?

Yeah - I didn't think to ask the pharmacist - instead I went right to my handy MOL.

Hmm - somethings wrong there when you go to MOL for every answer!