Sticking plaster

A sticking plaster (called an adhesive bandage in the United States) is a small medical dressing, used for injuries not serious enough to require a bandage.

A plaster usually consists of an absorbent pad (often medicated with antiseptic) covered by a layer of woven fabric or of plastic which is covered in a layer of adhesive. The fabric or plastic backing part sticks out from the pad by about 1 cm all around. The plaster is applied such that the pad covers the wound (but does not stick to the wound), and the fabric or plastic sticks to the surrounding skin to hold the dressing in place and prevent dirt from entering the wound.

Food handlers are often required to wear special detectable plasters. These are waterproof, have strong adhesive so they are less likely to fall off, and are usually bright blue in colour (so that it is obvious to the wearer if it has fallen off into some food). They are also detectable by special machines that are used in food manufacturing plants to ensure food is free from foreign objects before it is shipped to the public.

Sticking plasters are often called by their brand names such as Elastoplast or BAND-AID.