Duct Tape for a Painful Callus on a Finger

Most people have experienced a callus at some point. These raised bumps are sometimes painful, and protecting them can be difficult. A painful callus on an area of the body that is used often, such as your hands, can present a significant problem for day to day life. Duct tape provides a quick solution to help a painful callus.

Duct Tape

• Duct tape is a tape that is composed of a plastic backing, a fabric mesh and a rubber-based adhesive. This tape is noted for being very strong and sticking to almost anything, including human skin. Because it can repair so many different items, most people have a roll of duct tape in their home or at work. This ready availability makes it appealing for innovative uses.

Callus

• A callus is an area of skin that is thickened and may be hard, dry or flaky, and is a protective reaction from your body to prevent blisters from forming. A callus is rarely a serious problem; however, calluses can become infected and may need treatment. Calluses can also be painful, and removing a callus relieves the symptoms. To remove a callus on the hands, it is necessary to protect the hands with gloves during any activities that might cause rubbing against the callus.

Duct Tape as a Bandage

• Products specifically designed for protecting and treating calluses are available. However, if you are in a hurry or not able to obtain these products, duct tape will protect your callus by preventing further friction against the area. If the callus is not inflamed, infected or oozing, duct tape is safe to use. However, duct tape does not provide the cushioning effect of a moleskin patch or similar treatment.

Using Duct Tape

• Soak your hand in warm, soapy water. Rub the callus gently with a pumice stone or similar abrasive to remove some of the tissue. Do not remove so much that you break the skin. Clean and dry your skin thoroughly. Cut a piece of duct tape to cover the area and round the corners. This will prevent corners from peeling up during activity. Press firmly against the affected area. To prevent pain when removing the tape, you may want to shave the hair from any areas that will be covered by tape.