Table 4.
Removal Techniques and Agents
| General considerations (heavily adapted from McNichol et al.33) |
| • Loosen edge of adhesive with fingernail and use products listed below if necessary31,33 |
| • While removing tapes, use fingers of opposite hand to push skin down and away from adhesive. Continue to move fingers on skin toward adhesive as it is removed33 |
| • “Fold back” technique: Remove adhesive slowly, at low angle, folding back on itself33 |
| • “Stretch and relax” technique: Films that stretch (e.g., IV3000 or Tegaderm) may be stretched horizontally away from the center (opposite of the fold back technique) while walking fingers under the dressing to continue stretching it33 |
| • Use adhesive removal wipes to rub the skin under the tape toward the adhesive as it is removed. This helps loosen adhesive from skin and reduce pain with removal31 |
| Removal aids |
| • When using prepackaged wipes, tear outer package in half and discard top half. Hold bottom half to avoid touching adhesive remover |
| • All products leave oily residue: Wash area thoroughly with soap, rinse, and dry before attempting new insertion/adhesive in area |
| Product | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Uni-solve Adhesive Remover (Smith&Nephew) | —Wipes or liquid | |
| —AllKare Adhesive Removal Wipe (ConvaTec Inc) | —Wipes | |
| Tac Away Adhesive Removal Wipes (Torbot) | —Wipes —Reciprocal product to Skin Tac |
|
| Detachol Adhesive Remover (Eloquest) | —Latex free, alcohol free —Single use vials or liquid —Reciprocal product to Mastisol —Least specialized and least expensive option |
|
| Household oilsa: —Baby oil —Coconut oil —Olive oil |
||
| Healing | ||
| • Assess for hypersensitivity reaction or contact dermatitis | ||
| • If skin is intact, healing strategies include anti-inflammatory and anti-itch agents | ||
| • If skin integrity is broken, strategies may include antimicrobial agents, liquid antacids, seeking medical care | ||
| Product | Advantages | Professional tips |
|---|---|---|
| Benadryl | —Inexpensive | —Histamine blocker to relieve itching —Use as directed |
| Hydrocortisone | —Inexpensive —Anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties |
—Paste or ointment to relieve pain and inflammation —Apply thin layer to irritated skin once or twice per day as needed and per manufacturer instructions —Prolonged use not recommended due to potential local and systemic adverse effects41,b |
| Liquid Antacid (Maalox) | —Inexpensive —Gentle on open skin and painful irritation |
—Liquid to relieve pain and inflammation —Dab on broken inflamed skin and let dry into chalky pastea —May stain/rub off on clothes |
| Polysporin/Bacitracin | —Over the counter —Reduces risk of infection with broken skin |
—Use as directed to reduce chance of skin infection —If signs of infection worsen, advice patients to call diabetes provider immediately |
Recommendations based on literature (cited), expert opinion, manufacturer's indication, or common clinical practice unless otherwise indicated.
a
Used within our institution or support in public commentary, online articles, diabetes blogs, social media.
b
Unclear support, requires additional studies.