Paper Surgical Tape

An Adhesive Gentle Enough for Skin That's Already Had Enough

Not every patient's skin can take a strong adhesive without a reaction, and older animals, exotics with delicate skin, or anyone who's already been through several dressing changes are exactly the cases where a gentler tape earns its place in the drawer. Paper tape's lower tack reduces the chance of skin stripping on removal while still holding a dressing edge or catheter site covering securely enough for routine use. It also breathes more than film-backed tape, which is worth considering on any site that's going to stay covered for an extended period. Being easy to tear by hand without scissors makes it a practical, fast option during routine catheter care and dressing changes, and a reasonable everyday teaching tape for skills labs that go through a lot of it.