How to Make a Butterfly Bandage

Picture of a butterfly bandage

Medical Illustration Copyright © 2003 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc. All rights reserved. www.nucleusinc.com

How to make a butterfly bandage:

  1. Cut a strip from a roll of 1 in. (2.5 cm) adhesive tape and fold it in half lengthwise, sticky side out.
  2. Cut notches into tape as shown above.
  3. Unfold the tape, then fold the notched pieces together, sticky side in. The center of the tape will be non-sticky. Keep this part clean since it will be over the wound.
  4. Place one sticky end of the tape on the skin to one side of the wound, then pull the other sticky end tightly across the wound to close the wound edges. If the wound is long, more than one bandage may be needed.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerWilliam H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerH. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last RevisedJune 6, 2012
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: June 6, 2012
Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

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