Tapes

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Medical Tapes & Fixation

The tape holding a dressing down causes more skin damage in aged care than the dressing itself. Choosing the right backing material, and removing it properly, is most of the job. BIOFAST supplies surgical and medical tapes to clinics, hospitals, aged care facilities and NDIS providers across Australia.

Tape types and what each is for

Microporous paper tape. The general-purpose clinical tape, often called micropore. Breathable, gentle on skin, tears by hand without scissors. Use it for routine dressing retention, securing IV lines and light fixation on fragile skin. It is not the choice where the tape will get wet or needs to hold under tension.

Transparent plastic tape. Perforated plastic backing that resists moisture and lets you see the skin underneath. Good for securing tubing and for sites that get damp.

Silk and cloth tape. Stronger adhesion for heavier dressings and anywhere movement will test the fixation. Conforms well to awkward contours.

Non-woven fabric retention tape. Wide, stretchy, highly conformable. Used to dress large areas, hold dressings over joints, and secure across curved surfaces where a narrow tape would lift at the edges.

Cohesive bandage. Sticks to itself rather than to skin or hair, so it holds compression and fixation without any adhesive contact. The right answer on fragile skin, on limbs, and where the patient will remove and reapply.

Protecting skin on removal

Medical adhesive-related skin injury is avoidable. Remove tape slowly, low and parallel to the skin rather than pulling upwards, supporting the skin behind the peel with your other hand. Use an adhesive remover on fragile or repeatedly taped skin. Where a site is taped daily, consider a barrier film under the tape, or switch to a cohesive bandage or retention tape that does not contact skin at all.

Never apply tape under tension. Stretching it as you lay it down creates shear on the skin underneath and causes blistering at the edges.

Sizing

Stock two widths rather than one. A narrow roll of around 1.25cm suits line securement and small dressings. A wider roll of 2.5cm or above suits dressing retention and larger pads. Wide retention tape in 10cm or 15cm covers the large-area work.