Experts Answer FAQs about Plasters

Experts Answer FAQs about Plasters

Experts Answer FAQs about Plasters

Do Plasters Go Out Of Date?

Do plasters expire? Yes, although plasters are likely to have a shelf life of over a year, they still have a use-by date. You will find the expiry date of your plasters on the product or packaging. Good quality plasters will be printed with serial numbers and expiration dates to help you keep track of use-by dates and rotate your stock or supplies.

#1 Which? recommended fabric plasters by Steroplast have a sterility guarantee of five years provided they are stored correctly, and the wrappers are undamaged. 

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Why Do Plasters Expire?

This is because the adhesive and the material used to make the plaster will degrade over time, compromising their ability to sufficiently stick to the skin and provide complete protection to a wound. 

Degradation of the packaging can also occur, which could lead sterile plasters to become unsterile. Since sterile plasters are a requirement in environments like healthcare facilities, out-of-date plasters can be a problem. 

Do Plasters Help Healing?

Plasters provide a protective environment for a wound. Using a plaster will:

  • Cover the wound
  • Protect the wound from further damage or external elements.
  • Some plasters contain materials that absorb exudate. One example is hydrocolloid plasters that are used for burns and sometimes even spots. These contain hydrocolloid, which absorbs exudate from the wound and forms a gel over it.

What Do Plasters Do?

How do plasters work? Plasters have four fundamental functions:

  1. Provide a physical barrier that protects a wound from further damage
  2. Provide a physical barrier that protects a wound from external elements
  3. Cover the wound to help manage the bleeding
  4. Absorb exudate

Some plasters contain materials like hydrocolloids, hydrogels, silver, alginate, and lidocaine, which offer various benefits including managing exudate, discouraging bacterial growth, or providing pain relief such as numbing.

Choosing the Right Plaster Colour for Cuts and Sores

Plasters are available in different colours and designs. Sometimes these designs are purely aesthetic such as cartoon design plasters for children. Generally, the most common plaster colour for cuts and sores is pink or nude coloured. These are standard plasters for general use.

Blue plasters should be used in food handling environments as they are highly visible in contrast to the colours of food, whereas pink plasters might not be spotted if they fall off.

nude plaster on girls arm
blue plaster on mans arm

Find out about all the different types of plasters you can get and when to use them.

Do Verruca Plasters Work?

Some brands sell special plasters that claim to get rid of verrucas, but the advice from the NHS on verrucas is that these are not guaranteed to work. They’re also known to sometimes be painful or time-consuming. How do verruca plasters work? Verruca plasters are medicated with an active ingredient that is claimed to kill the verruca, while the physical plaster protects from the elements.

If you have a verruca that is causing discomfort, we recommend a padded foam plaster to cushion the area and absorb some of the impact when you walk.

Do Plasters Draw Out Pus?

Do plasters draw out infection? A standard plaster has an absorbent pad in its centre, which goes directly over the wound, and this soaks up any exudate, including pus, that comes out of the wound.

Hydrocolloid and hydrogel plasters absorb exudate, such as pus, from the wound. These types of plasters are suitable for burns, minor wounds, blisters, and spots that may produce more exudate.

Can You Put A Plaster On A Dog?

Using a plaster on a dog is not a good idea; it’s unlikely the plaster would stick down well, and it may be painful to remove due to hair. Your dog could also lick the plaster off and accidentally ingest it.

If your dog is wounded, the best thing to do is talk to your vet and get professional advice to ensure the wound does not become infected. Find out about the basics of animal wound dressing in case you need to help your dog in an emergency.

Do Plaster Draw Out Splinters?

The best way to remove a splinter is carefully with a pair of tweezers. If the splinter is entirely under the skin, this won’t be possible, and you’ll need to wait for your body to naturally push it out. 

Some sources say that covering a splinter with plaster will help to draw it to the surface of the skin, making it easier to remove. In contrast, other sources say covering a splinter will decrease the effectiveness of your body’s natural process. No type of plaster actively draws out a splinter.

Do Blister Plasters Help Spots?

The material in blister plasters that absorbs fluid can also be used on spots. Blister plasters work best on pustules, the types of spots with pus visible just under the skin's surface, rather than cystic acne, where spots are deeper in the skin. This is because any pus that leaves the body will be absorbed by the plaster.

A blister plaster will absorb the pus without causing skin trauma that could result from squeezing or picking the spot

Do Cuts Heal Faster With Plasters?

Plasters don’t cause cuts to heal faster, but they do provide protection. By reducing the risk of further damage or infection, plasters help prevent the natural healing time from getting any longer.

What is the Difference Between Plasters And Bandages?

A plaster is an adhesive dressing that directly covers a wound to protect it. The non-adhesive absorbent pad in the centre of the plaster is placed directly over the wound, and the adhesive surrounding area forms a seal to keep bacteria out. Plasters can be very small and convenient for awkward areas like fingers and toes. You can also get large or long plaster strips that are ideal for covering closed surgical wounds. 

A bandage is a length of fabric that usually comes rolled up and is wrapped around a part of the body. Bandages can be used to cover dressings and keep them in place, but they’re alo used to compress soft tissue injuries and support sprains.

Can You Be Allergic To Plasters?

Some people are allergic to the adhesive used on plasters and need to find hypoallergenic alternatives. Find out what you need to know about plaster allergies in our article A Guide to Plaster Allergies: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

You can also find out what ‘hypoallergenic’ means in our guide and how to ensure you get the right products.

Can I Use A Blister Plaster On A Cut?

If you use a blister plaster on a regular cut, nothing bad will happen, but it’s not their intended purpose. The best plaster for a cut is a standard fabric or washproof plaster. Our fabric plasters are the #1 best plasters in the UK for staying put as long as you need them to.

Find out how long you can leave a plaster on and how to remove it, along with any sticky residue, when your cut has healed.

Can You Put A Plaster Over an HRT Patch?

Some women find that HRT patches fall off and need extra help securing them to the skin. Putting a plaster over your HRT patch is a good way to keep it in place but be sure to read the instructions and precautions on the HRT product as some types advise against this or advise that the plaster only cover the edges of the patch.

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Do Plasters Go Out Of Date?

Do plasters expire? Yes, although plasters are likely to have a shelf life of over a year, they still have a use-by date. You will find the expiry date of your plasters on the product or packaging. Good quality plasters will be printed with serial numbers and expiration dates to help you keep track of use-by dates and rotate your stock or supplies.

#1 Which? recommended fabric plasters by Steroplast have a sterility guarantee of five years provided they are stored correctly, and the wrappers are undamaged. 

Why Do Plasters Expire?

This is because the adhesive and the material used to make the plaster will degrade over time, compromising their ability to sufficiently stick to the skin and provide complete protection to a wound. 

Degradation of the packaging can also occur, which could lead sterile plasters to become unsterile. Since sterile plasters are a requirement in environments like healthcare facilities, out-of-date plasters can be a problem. 

Do Plasters Protect Moles From The Sun?

Do plasters protect moles from sunbeds or the natural sun? Yes, they offer a good barrier to the sun’s UV rays. Whilst it’s usually okay to expose moles to sunlight under the protection of sunscreen, sometime moles need extra protection. If you have larger, raised moles or have been advised by your GP to protect your moles, using small dot plasters is an ideal solution.

Try Steroplast’s waterproof dot plasters. An ideal size for a mole and won’t wash off if you go in the sea.

Do Plasters Help Healing?

Plasters provide an optimal environment for a wound to heal, meaning they can effectively speed up the process. Using a plaster will:

  • Keep the wound moist, something that is shown to improve healing time over leaving a wound to dry out.
  • Protect the wound from further damage or infection.

Some plasters are medicated and contain certain active ingredients that assist with healing. One example is hydrocolloid plasters that are used for burns and sometimes even spots. These contain a hydrocolloid which draws exudate out of the wound and forms a synthetic ‘scab’ over it, assisting in draining the wound and protecting it while it heals in an optimal moist environment.

What Do Plasters Do?

How do plasters work to help wounds get better? Plasters have four fundamental functions:

  1. Provide a physical barrier that protects a wound from further damage.
  2. Provide a physical barrier that protects a wound from bacteria that could cause an infection.
  3. Stop a wound from bleeding by allowing platelets to stay in place and form a clot.
  4. Absorb exudate and keep the wound moist to maintain an optimal healing environment.

Some plasters are medicated with active ingredients like hydrocolloids, hydrogels, silver, alginate, and lidocaine, which can speed up the healing process, discourage infection or inflammation, or provide pain relief such as numbing. 

What Colour Plaster For Cuts and Sores?

Plasters are available in different colours and designs. Sometimes these designs are purely aesthetic such as cartoon design plasters for children. Generally, the most common plaster colour for cuts and sores is pink or nude coloured. These are standard plasters for general use.

Blue plasters should be used in food handling environments as they are highly visible in contrast to the colours of food, whereas pink plasters might not be spotted if they fall off.

nude plaster on girls arm
blue plaster on mans arm

Find out about all the different types of plasters you can get and when to use them.

Do Verruca Plasters Work?

Some brands sell special plasters that claim to get rid of verrucas, but the advice from the NHS on verrucas is that these are not guaranteed to work. They’re also known to sometimes be painful or time-consuming. How do verruca plasters work? Verruca plasters are medicated with an active ingredient that is claimed to kill the verruca, while the physical plaster protects from the elements.

If you have a verruca that is causing discomfort, we recommend a padded foam plaster to cushion the area and absorb some of the impact when you walk.

Do Plasters Draw Out Pus?

Do plasters draw out infection? A standard plaster has an absorbent pad in its centre, which goes directly over the wound, and this soaks up any exudate, including pus, that comes out of the wound. This helps to regulate the moisture level in the wound and removes any bacteria pushed out of the body each time the plaster is changed. 

Hydrocolloid and hydrogel plasters actively draw exudate, such as pus, out of the wound and speed up the healing process. These types of plasters are ideal for burns, minor infections, blisters, and spots.

Can You Put A Plaster On A Dog?

Using a plaster on a dog is not a good idea; it’s unlikely the plaster would stick down well, and it may be painful to remove due to hair. Your dog could also lick the plaster off and accidentally ingest it.

If your dog is wounded, the best thing to do is talk to your vet and get professional advice to ensure the wound does not become infected. Find out about the basics of animal wound dressing in case you need to help your dog in an emergency.

Do Blister Plasters Help Heal?

Wondering, ‘can I put a plaster on a blister?’ There’s a special type of plaster for that.

Blister plasters often contain an active ingredient called a hydrocolloid. The hydrocolloid layer in the plaster contains particles that absorb exudate and hydrate to form a gel ‘scab’ over the wound. In this way, hydrocolloids manage drainage of the blister to help it heal faster and be more comfortably tolerated.

Find out all about blister plasters in our article.

  

Cushioned Blister Plasters

Do Plaster Draw Out Splinters?

The best way to remove a splinter is carefully with a pair of tweezers. If the splinter is entirely under the skin, this won’t be possible, and you’ll need to wait for your body to naturally push it out. 

Some sources say that covering a splinter with plaster will help to draw it to the surface of the skin, making it easier to remove. In contrast, other sources say covering a splinter will decrease the effectiveness of your body’s natural process. No type of plaster actively draws out a splinter.

Do Blister Plasters Help Spots?

The hydrocolloid agent in blister plasters that drains blisters of fluid also works on spots. Blister plasters work the best on pustules, the types of spots with pus visible just under the skin's surface, rather than cystic acne, where spots are deeper in the skin.

A blister plaster will draw out the pus and speed up the spot's life cycle without causing skin trauma that would result from squeezing or picking the spot. 

Find out everything about how blister plasters work on spots in our article.

Do Cuts Heal Faster With Plaster?

Thanks to their protective capacity, ability to maintain optimal moist healing environments, prevention of infection, and even active ingredients like hydrocolloids, plasters can actually help heal wounds faster than if they weren’t covered.

Do Plasters Stop Healing?

There has been a long-standing debate as to whether a wound should be covered or left in the open air to heal. However, the evidence shows that wounds need moisture to heal, so keeping them covered with a plaster helps maintain a moist environment that speeds up recovery.

Difference Between Plaster And Bandage?

A plaster is an adhesive dressing that directly covers a wound to protect it. The non-adhesive absorbent pad in the centre of the plaster is placed directly over the wound, and the adhesive surrounding area forms a seal to keep bacteria out. Plasters can be very small and convenient for awkward areas like fingers and toes. You can also get large or long plaster strips that are ideal for covering closed surgical wounds. 

A bandage is a length of fabric that usually comes rolled up and is wrapped around a part of the body. Bandages can be used to cover dressings and keep them in place, but they’re alo used to compress soft tissue injuries and support sprains.

Can You Be Allergic To Plasters?

Some people are allergic to the adhesive used on plasters and need to find hypoallergenic alternatives. Find out what you need to know about plaster allergies in our article A Guide to Plaster Allergies: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

You can also find out what ‘hypoallergenic’ means in our guide and how to ensure you get the right products.

Can I Use A Blister Plaster On A Cut?

If you use a blister plaster on a regular cut, nothing bad will happen, but it’s not their intended purpose. The best plaster for a cut is a standard nude-coloured plaster. Our fabric plasters are the #1 best plasters in the UK for staying put as long as you need them to.

Find out how long you can leave a plaster on and how to remove it, along with any sticky residue, when your cut has healed.

Can You Put A Plaster Over an HRT Patch?

Some women find that HRT patches fall off and need extra help securing them to the skin. Putting a plaster over your HRT patch is a good way to keep it in place but be sure to read the instructions and precautions on the HRT product as some types advise against this or advise that the plaster only cover the edges of the patch.

Please enter your details into the form below along with any questions or comments and a member of our team will be happy to provide you with more information:

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