I am a little over 1 week post lap rny.  Monday when they called to check on me, I told them I thought I was having a local reaction to my steri-strips.  I was told this would pass and I would start to feel better.  The rash along the strips kept getting more red and I started getting small blisters.  Yesterday, I finally took them off because I could not stand it anymore.  The skin is so dry and itchy now and there are still tiny blisters.  Has anyone else experienced this?  If so, what did you do to make it feel better?

That happened to me.  I took mine off too.  Mine was so bad it looked like a big burn where all of the strips were.  I put some neosporin on it and it helped a lot.  They're right it will go away now that you have removed the offending strips.

I am allergic to virtually every adhesive, including those on bandaids.

The skin on our stomachs tends to be rather sensitive.  I have had major problems there as well.

Have you had other issues with any other products like medical tape?  I can only use paper tape. I removed my steri-strips early and currently have a mess on my stomach from having part of my sutures open and having to use tape and large bandaids over that area.  I've been using hydrocortisone cream to try to reduce the irritation.  That's all I know to do. Good luck, and if you find something better, let me know!!

I'm very allergic to them. To the point of developing blood blisters. After my belt lipectomy, I got 2 blisters so bad, they were over an inch in diameter and well, scarred some. This latest surgery, I only got 3 small ones on my arms, none on the breasts so far (fingers crossed, I have to keep those tapes on for another week). The doctor had me remove the ones on my arms though, as they were causing me such problems. I put vitamin E oil (or pure ointment) on the incision line, and sometimes use an anti-itch cream around the area, being careful not to get that on the incision itself. I'd take an antihistamine too, but not while I'm on antibiotics and pain pills. Be careful not to scratch close to your incisions of course, but sometimes just lightly rubbing the area, or scratching about an inch away from it, helps a lot! Hope you feel better soon....and congrats on your surgery!

I am allergic to all of that type of stuff also, tape, bandaids, latex, I got red and itchy also, I didn't put any thing on it just kept it clean and dry, my body even started spitting the stitches that they sewed my little holes with, I had to go in and have them removed. I thought at first that it was loose skin, and i tried to pull on them and after they wouldn't come off i realized they were stitches, I could then see they were causing little holes!!!!! oh, well??  Good luck with that , I would keep it dry.  sharon

I had the same problem a few weeks ago.  I think its what they use to make the strips stick because the firey red area was not just where the strips were.  I look like someone tatooed a red striped flag over my belly button.  Talk about itching and swollen...until I pulled the strips off.  I used anti itch cream everywhere but on the opened area.   and neosporin on the incision area not at the same times.  I hope you feel better soon.  

No, you're not alone. I had RNY in May 2006, and I had no problem. My wife had same surgery in July, 07 and she had a rash where those strips were too.

I am glad I am not alone in this.  This reactions are not fun.  They itch and burn and are not fun.  It looks like I have bad sunburn circles on my stomach.  Thanks for the tips.  I think I will try some benedryl cream.

I have a latex allergy and the strip adhesive would have caused a problem so they used the other stuff and it worked well. I found out about the allergy when I had my original surgery. It was open and the JP drain was secured with tape. It felt like it was burning me on the second day and when they checked on it they took it off and it was a mess. Get back with the office and tell them to change. All you need to do is start scratching and get an infection. kp

This is going to sound very weird, but this was the recommendation of my OB-GYN doctor.  I had a really bad reaction to steri-strips after my hysterectomy.  She told me to put malox on the blisters twice a day.  I poured some into a cup and let it settle out, and put the chalky part on my blisters 2x a day.  It really dried them up, and they were better within 3-4 days. 

That's me! I found out I was totally allergic to the adhesive on ALL surgical tape. Blisteres, rash, all the same. I had to endure it and then used a med the doc prescibed.  Sorry!

omg yes...i was soooo worried it was staph ..... i must be allergic to all adhesives and latex...yeah.....still itches and i look like a i have five burn marks,.....itching makes me nuts.....
thank you all for this post ...

I didn't become allergic to them until I had my plastics in September. The steri-strips used for the tummy tuck portion was fine. The ones for my thigh lift though caused blisters all the way down both legs! After removeing the strips, the plastic surgeon had me use bactitracin on the blisters. Shortly after that, I developed issues with my intestines and ended up on a wound-vac..which, my belly absolutely hated that tape...even when they would use skin prep to try to protect it some. Now, I'm down to just doing wet-gauze bandage changes to where paper tape is ok to use. My skin doesn't really care for it either but at least it doesn't react quite as badly. I do feel like I'm battling that allergy though. The wound will close up some and a new blister will rip the skin open an inch away from the wound so I have to do a wet-gauze on that spot too. I'll be having a surgery March 3rd to close up that opening (and repair a hernia that the whole intestine thing brought on). It's going to be interesting to see what they put on the incision line then! lol. Don't you just love our changing bodies???? Sherri

I have felt all the pain from the above posts.  FORTUNATELY, before my RNY on March 25th, I told my surgeon [and anyone else who would listen] that  steri-strips caused me great discomfort.   Because I have a terrific surgeon  he listened and said, "No problem, we'll just use superglue [AKA: Derma-bond].  Aside from one scab falling off too soon [in my opinion] due to the fact that it's at my waistband and receives a lot of friction, I've had no problems with my incisions.

My advice for pre-ops and for those who may have to have surgery again is to explain and just ask if there's not something else they can use.

Sorry it's too late for those who are suffering...