How long can the plaster last?

Plaster is a common medicine when we treat diseases. When using the plaster, it is directly applied to the skin surface of the diseased part. The medicine will then penetrate through the skin to the subcutaneous part, and have a better therapeutic effect on local diseases. The amount of medicine in the plaster is limited. After the plaster has been applied to the local area for a certain period of time, it needs to be replaced with a new plaster. Patients with sensitive skin are not suitable for using plasters.

Can the plaster be applied for a long time?

How long does the plaster usually last?

Generally speaking, plasters need to be changed once a day, and some even need to be changed once every half a day, depending on the duration of the drug's effectiveness stated in the instructions. For ulcerated wounds, the dressing change interval should be shortened to 5-6 hours. The affected area should be cleaned properly between applications to remove the drug scale adhering to the skin surface, and then the skin should be allowed to rest for 1 to 2 hours. Because the skin needs to breathe, and the sweat glands and sebaceous glands need to excrete, applying the plaster for a long time will cause the local temperature and humidity to be high, and the metabolic waste cannot be discharged, which will irritate the local skin and cause itching and other uncomfortable symptoms.

The harm of applying plaster for too long

If the plaster is applied for 3 days at a time, or is not washed or left without a break between applications, the ingredients in the plaster may penetrate deep into the skin through the sweat pores, triggering allergies and causing contact dermatitis, commonly known as "plaster wind". A red spot with the same shape as the applied plaster and clear boundaries appears, accompanied by severe itching. In severe cases, blisters or even bullae may form, which is very painful.

If you delay removing it, it will increase the burden on the skin, hinder the permeability of the pores, block the discharge of sweat, and even cause local dermatitis.

The correct way to apply plaster

1. First disinfect the red, swollen and painful area with 80% alcohol, or wipe it with ginger slices; if there is a wound, wash the pus and blood with a dilute potassium permanganate solution and try to dry it, then spread out the folded plaster and bake it on a low fire to soften it. Sometimes, depending on the condition of the disease, sprinkle some medicine powder evenly on the softened plaster, then fold it repeatedly, spread the plaster, and mix the medicine powder in it, so that it can exert the therapeutic effect faster and better.

2. If the affected area becomes itchy, you need to massage the outside of the plaster. If it doesn't work, you can peel off the plaster, apply the itchy area with an alcohol cotton ball, and then warm the plaster and apply it again. If pus appears in the affected area, you can add some gauze on the surface of the plaster, or cut a small hole in the paper of the plaster and apply it to the wound accordingly to drain the pus. For those with erosion, constant pain, or blisters, you can apply a detoxifying plaster for treatment, or remove the plaster, disinfect it with alcohol, apply mercurochrome, and bandage it with gauze.

3. When applying adhesive plasters, such as analgesic plasters, anti-inflammatory and analgesic plasters, etc., you should first wipe the affected area with an alcohol cotton ball, tear off the thin film on the plaster and apply it. However, it should not be used if skin erosion, trauma or infection occurs.

4. Medicines often contain aromatic ingredients, so pregnant women should use them with caution, especially avoid applying them on the navel, waist, and abdomen; people with skin allergies should also not use them. During the period of applying the plaster, you should avoid eating raw and cold food. Unused plasters can be stored in a cool, dry place to prevent them from melting or being eaten by insects in the summer.