Steri-Strips are adhesive skin closures that are used to close cuts that are too deep for a bandage but not bad enough to require stitches. They’re also used to secures surgical incisions. Steri-Strips can be utilized alone or used in conjunction with sutures and staples. Treating a wound with Steri-Strips is a fast and convenient alternative when seeing a doctor is not readily available or necessary.
How To Apply Steri-Strips:
1. Clean and dry the wound and at least two inches around the wound to limit the risk of infection as well as guarantee a good adhesion.
2. Open the package for the Steri-Strips. Remove the strip card and card end tab.
3. Grab the end of the Steri-Strip and lift it upward, away from the card.
4. Push the wound edges together with your fingers and place the Steri-Strip across the wound. Press down firmly on the strips to keep them in place.
5. Add more Steri-Strips across the wound, approximately one-eighth of an inch apart, until the wound is completely closed.
6. Align additional strips parallel to the wound, approximately one-half of an inch from strip ends, to prevent premature lifting of the strips.
Cleaning the area around the wound is just as important as cleaning the wound itself when utilizing Steri-Strips. Skin needs to be free of oil and moisture to ensure good adhesion of the strips. Also, don’t pull skin too tight when applying Steri-Strips. If the skin is pulled too tight, the skin can blister or the strips may lose adhesion to your skin prematurely.
Removing Steri-Strips
1. Check to see if the ends of the Steri-Strips have begun to loosen. You may need to use tweezers to grasp the ends.
2. If the strips seem to be stuck tightly, soak the area in water prior to trying to remove them.
3. Pull the Steri-Strips off slowly, parallel to the wound. Do not pull the strips off across the wound so you do not disturb the healing process.
Be careful when removing Steri-Strips from a wound. They can cause your skin to come off when they’re removed. Never force the Steri-Strips off because forcibly removing them could cause more damage to the healing wound. Always consult your doctor before removing Steri-Strips.
References
www.e-firstaidsupplies.com/922-10835-p-bandages.html#.UIqEgYVcTDw
How to Care for Steri-Strips:
How to Remove Steri-Strips After Surgery
