allergic to mouth taping

[nobody]

I think I'm getting an allergy to the tape? My skin is red, itchy and irritated there

[riverdreamer]

Yep. It happens. My experience is , that once I react, things just go downhill from there. I just keep getting more sensitive. However, the glues on tape are not all the same, so you may still be able to find something you can tolerate. Usually paper tape is better, but you will have to try to see.

Sorry to have you join the club.

[Gerald]

What tape are you using?

[nobody]

It's a blue masking tape.

[riverdreamer]

Masking tape isn't made for human use on skin, so it might be more likely to give you problems. Maybe you should try medical tape? Just know that you can react to that, too. Someone suggested micropore tape to me. I haven't tried it yet, but have it on my list. I do react to many medical tapes. Not fun!

[nobody]

I've had medical tape on my skin before. It does not come off well at all. YMMV.

[birdshell]

I, too, am allergic to many kinds of tape...from bandaids to zinc oxide (old-time first aid and athletic) tapes. I find that the clear tapes work for me as well as the paper and rayon-type of cloth type. Anything that says it is for sensitive skin works for me.

As for the overly fond attachment of the tape to your skin, here is something I wrote a while back:

Another tip, which is probably buried in the links: smear some milk of magnesia on your skin, allow it to dry, and then tape over it. This old RN's trick helps to protect the skin while maintaining enough tack to do the job. Skim milk reportedly works well, too.

Karen,
Whose lips are sealed

[Gerald]

Nobody.....

I've been using the 3M Blue Delicate Release tape for about a year....with no ill effects. I tried the medical tape....and I suspect that the adhesive is the same...except stronger.

You may be allergic to the adhesive.......but, it might be the way you remove it. When I remove mine, I pull parallel to the skin.....not at 90-degrees......and it comes off without pain or irritation.

I respectfully disagree with a previous poster who has the opinion that masking tape isn't made for application to humans. I don't think there's a bit of difference.....I grew up in a paint and body shop.....and had masking tape all over me without ill effects.

About the only problem I ever had was.....stupidly stuffing a clean-up rag (lightly saturated with laquer thinner) in my back pocket. It takes a little while, but it sure gives a person a bad case of the "red-ass".

Gerald

[bdp522]

Yep, what Karen said. I use a thin (THIN) coat of MOM to form a protective barrier between the skin and the tape. Works GREAT!! I use surgical paper tape for tender skin.

Brenda

[LoQ]

I wonder if this stuff would be helpful to you. Has anyone tried it?

[kebsa]

i was going to suggest the barrier wipes, they definately do help but you then need another wipe that is a solvent to remove the barrier - they are are not really intended for areas where you will be removing and reapplying frequently. facial skin may be a bit sensitive. if the milk of magnesia trick ( we used to use mylanta) works that is going to be easier on the skin.

part of the problem is that once the area has reacted, it is very irritated and takes less to irritate it even more. ideally it would be good to avoid any adhesives on the area for a few days to let it settle down, then perhaps try some of the hypo allergenic tapes. I am sensitive to quite a few tapes and prolonged or reapeated exposure is definately worse. i do not tape my mouth as i know it would be a very short time before i reacted. when i do need to use tapes eg for a wound, i have foound that if i have several different tapes and rotate them rather than using one type each day, it is slightly better but to be honest, once you start reacting it is likely to remain a problem- it can get to the point of quite nasty blisters so do take care!

[bdp522]

I had a nasty reaction, skin torn and bleeding. Using the MOM it healed in 2 days and I've used the MOM every night since with no further skin irritation. It was under $4 for a big bottle of the generic brand. Comes off easily when I wash my face in the morning.

Brenda