Ways to Bandage Toe Cuts
Bandaging toes can be made less fiddly with a tubifast applicator is often supplied with tubifast or tubular finger bandage. Tubifast 001 or the narrow tubular knitted bandage is for fingers and toes, but a big toe needs a wider tubifast, otherwise it won’t fit on and also be too tight. This is difficult to find in a chemist.
A tubifast applicator helps push tubifast over a dressing and stops the dressing from moving or bunching up. It is also more comfortable and uses less tape. You will need to stretch open tubifast first to pull over a toe if there is no applicator.
An applicator is good to use on the narrow size 001 tubular bandage, as is fiddly to pull over a toe.
If there is tingling, numbness or pain that was not present before dressing, the tape may be too tight or the twist in the tubigauze is pushing on the wound. Loosen all and do not tape around the toe, just front and back.
A stretchy gauze 1 inch bandage is also easy to apply, as you can wind it around curved areas.
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Toe Dressings Using a Gauze Bandage
Apply melolin or foam dressing without tape by rolling a gauze bandage one inch width around the 2 toes.
If you have acute/open blister on second toe, still bandage the third toes, with a gauze or melolin or foam pad between each toe space to stop excessive moisture and pressure.
Place your finger over the toe tip as you pull the bandage over the toe tip. This ensures it’s not pulled too tight and cause another wound.
Rolling around 2 toes ensures you will not pull the bandage too tight around a single toe and stop blood flow by accident.
Having a little give in the bandage on the tip ensures not pressure as the toe may lengthen when standing and walking
Roll bandage a couple of times with only pulling a little. Ensure there are no wrinkles between and tip of toes. Don’t overdo it as even this technique may not allow you to get into shoes, only sandals or a post op shoe or thongs/slides.
Using an applicator for tubular gauze for toes
Double the length of finger or toes, push Tubular banadage over applicator
Push over a tubular gauze bandage onto the applicator, twice the length of the toe
Push the applicator over the toe and holding the base of the bandage with your other hand, pull back and twist and push back down over the toe. See same technique for fingers for more detail
Another way if you do not want a knot at the end of a toe especially if the wound is on the tip of the toe, is to just lay the length of the bandage over the top and tape the base
Taping foam dressings between toes -how not to tape
Cut a foam square and anchor with tape. Don’t leave folds like this tape, as may cause a rub.
Tape long ways at the base at the front of the toe, pushing the toe downward before you tape to stop tape drag and pulling when walking. You may need more tape across ways at the base to anchor. This depends on whether you use paper or mefix tape
Push toe up as you tape. As you can see, paper tape is messy and has folds. Often one has to use lots of tape to stick it all down. Try to avoid folds, especially in between toes, and use a mefix tape or tubular gauze
Butterfly dressing for Toes
Buy a 7.5 cm x 5 cm non woven island dressing which is perfect for fingers and toes. This one has a 4 cm x 2.5 cm pad in the middle and cut a wide V 3/4 up the sides as shown
Apply dressings under or over the toe or finger. Bend over and stick, but don’t pull down tight to put pressure on tip of finger or toe.
Stick down the side flaps
Neat way to tape around and between toes
