Are you going crazy trying not to itch your tape? Itchy on day one? Itchy after you take it off? Itchy on your off days? Happens to the best of us! There are a few reasons you might experience this issue and most of them are an easy fix so lets talk about it!
Hello, my good pals!
I hope you've all been treating yourselves like royalty.
Today, we're gathered around the TransTape blog to discuss why you may feel itchy while using TransTape but also how important it is to take care of our skin.
It is SO important to take care of our skin while using TransTape, and for many other reasons, so this also means proper application and proper removal.
And performing a test strip.
If you've come here for a quick answer, here you are:
Itchiness from TransTape could be the result of a skin allergy, overstretching, extended time of wear or improper removal and aftercare.
Not exactly a quick or simple answer because everyone's body is different.
But fear not, whether you're itchy while you wear TransTape or after you remove it, I've come with the aloe vera!
It's actually repairing salve and removal oil, but you get what I'm trying to say.
But first.
Quick Question
Did you do the test strip like we've talked about?
You gotta do the test strip, people!
I know, I know.
You just got your tape, you're super excited and ready to start living your best life compression free.
I understand, I do.
But it's super important to check in with your body to make sure TransTape is right for you.
Ya gotta make sure you're not allergic!
And it makes determining the cause of any discomfort, or itchiness, a lot easier in the future.
If you do a test strip and your skin is perfectly fine after waiting 24-48 hours, it tells us that your complication with the tape is more likely to be an application accident like overstretching instead of a skin allergy.
Things to look out for when you do a test strip are itchiness, pain, rashes, raised skin and or redness. If you experience these symptoms it is best to properly remove your tape as soon as possible.
So if you're a new user that's reading up on TransTape before you try it, please perform a test strip to check for any possible allergies.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about other reasons for itchiness.
Application Accidents
One of the most common causes of itchiness while wearing TransTape is overstretching.
TransTape gives a flatter appearance when applied with the proper technique, but that's not the only reason it's so stretchy.
The flexibility and stretchy potential in TransTape is what gives you compression free movement.
If you stretch it out too much while applying, the tape can't move with your body and starts to pull on your skin instead.
This is what can cause itchiness or even blisters in the worst cases.
It's very tempting to stretch the tape to the max to try and give yourself the flattest chest possible but it's the worst thing that you can do during application.
Also a friendly reminder that nobody has a perfectly flat chest and that's perfectly okay!
If you overstretch for any reason, the tape will constantly be pulling at your skin.
And when you finally go to lift your arms and move around, the tape will start pulling at your skin even more which is what can cause itchiness or blisters.
To avoid this, make sure you're anchoring down some tape in the beginning and relaxing the tape at the end.
So basically, do not stretch for the first and last 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of each strip.
Honorable Mentions
A couple other application accidents that could cause itchiness would be body hair shaving and not rounding the corners of the strips.
Do not shave the application area completely, this will definitely lead to itching while your hair tries to grow back under the tape.
If you have a lot of body hair, it's recommended to trim it but not shorter than a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) to avoid discomfort.
Rounding your corners may also benefit your application.
When the corners are pointed they're more likely to catch when something brushes against them.
So if they start to peel up, they could pull on the rest of the tape every time your shirt or arm touches it which can cause some discomfort, or itchiness.
If you notice parts of your tape peeling up but aren't ready to remove it quite yet, you can trim the lifted parts and round them off to extend your wear.
Which brings us to the next topic.
Wearing It For Too Long
The longer you wear the tape, the stronger the bond will be between your skin and the adhesive which can cause discomfort and a more difficult removal.
As per the official website, TransTape can be worn safely on average for up to 5 days.
Wearing the tape for too long could lead to blisters, general discomfort, itchiness or soreness.
After your tape has served its purpose, it's recommended to properly remove your tape and rest.
If you wear your tape for too long, your skin will begin to get irritated, probably itchy, and the tape will start to peel up.
The bond between the adhesive and tape is more likely to give out before the bond between the adhesive and your skin.
Even though the tape could likely survive for longer than 5 days, it's important to understand that leaving anything on your skin for an extended period of time is not ideal.
So just because it can last longer doesn't mean you should wear it for longer.
And the only way to really avoid over wearing your tape is to plan ahead and find a time when you will have at least 24 hours to recover and then plan around that.
If Saturday is your free day, apply the tape on Monday to enjoy it all week.
I usually have the same 2 days off every week from work and plan around those days to make sure my skin has time to breathe and recover appropriately.
Don't over wear your tape!
Improper Removal
If it's time to remove your TransTape, don't forget to review the user manual, some how-to videos or the blog to ensure you do it properly.
Improper removal is another high-profile suspect for itchy skin.
And the most important thing about removal is using oil!
OIL!
I recommend using the official TransTape Removal Oil which is made from pure organic jojoba oil.
But if you don't have the removal oil, that's okay! You can also use olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil and others. If you can safely cook with it, you can most likely use it for removal! Do not use baby oil. If you are unsure about removing your TransTape, don't hesitate to reach out to the official help desk.
Some people insist on removing TransTape with dry skin or only water and that is an absolute no-no, my friends.
Whether it's because you're waiting on a restock or you're trying to save a few bucks, it's not worth it and you will damage your skin.
Removing your tape improperly will likely cause your skin to become inflamed, raised and worst of all, so itchy.
And we don't want that!
When removing your tape with oil, be sure to soak it thoroughly and let it sit for 1 to 5 minutes before you start to carefully peel it off.
If the tape isn't starting to peel or come off by itself at the end of 5 minutes, add more oil to the tape and your hands and slowly start to peel it off.
Waiting longer than 5 minutes will give the adhesive the opportunity to separate from the tape while still holding on to your skin, leaving behind that annoying sticky residue. Find out how to get rid of that stuff on another post here.
Do not rip or tear TransTape from your skin, this is not a "rip it off like a band-aid" type of situation. You will damage your skin!
If you want to go a step further in making removal an easier process, hop in the shower after your wait time and let the water team up with the oil and help you out.
That's my preferred method.
You can even add removal oil to a bath for a more relaxing removal!
A bubble bath with a side of scented candles if you're spicy.
Aftercare
Using removal oil and healing salve will help your skin stay healthy and recover.
Application and removal are very important but more often than not, we forget that there's an aftercare process.
Without proper aftercare, your skin is likely to recover slower which means it's more likely to become irritated quicker or cause itchiness between applications and even while you're wearing it.
Taking care of your skin after taping will make a drastic difference in how you experience TransTape.
Happy skin is healthy and strong.
And after a proper removal, it's time for a little self-care.
Everyone needs a rest day filled with self-care.
Super convenient for us, TransTape has this wonderful thing called healing salve that's 100% natural and will help your skin recover on your off days.
TransTape Healing salve is petroleum-free and made from Organic Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Monarda, Cedarwood and Frankincense essential oils.
If you remove your tape and feel super itchy right after, this salve can help soothe your skin and can be applied multiple times throughout the day.
TransTape Removal Oil can also be used for more than just removing your tape.
The removal oil is made from 100% pure organic jojoba oil and it's one of the best possible things to use for aftercare and skin care in general.
Jojoba oil naturally helps control your oil production, is anti bacterial, anti inflammatory and even promotes skin elasticity.
It's known to help relieve symptoms of dryness, flakiness, itchiness and inflammation all on its own.
And it has also been proven to help relieve skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis!
In my humble opinion, they are both worth the extra money.
Name a better combo than healing salve and removal oil right now.
Practicing proper aftercare on your skin after wearing TransTape is extremely important, no matter how long you've been taping for.
Rookie or veteran.
Just because you always wear TransTape doesn't mean that your skin won't need a little extra TLC every once in a while.
If you're feeling itchy, remove your tape and practice self-care.
Listen to your body, it knows things!
Mindset Check
Last but not least, be mindful of where your head is at while applying and removing TransTape.
When using TransTape, it's likely that you're working with parts of your body that are vulnerable and may cause you to be uncomfortable sometimes.
And that's okay, by the way.
If you're not in a healthy head space while applying or removing tape, you're more likely to get frustrated or upset during the process which can lead to accidents.
Accidents happen.
If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by the process, take a step back, breathe, take a break and come back to it when you're ready.
Maybe play some music or watch an episode of Bob's Burgers to ease the mind.
It'll make more of a difference than you probably think, the mind is a powerful thing!
Anyways.
Hopefully itchiness is a thing of the past for you now and you understand what may have been going on.
Learning how to use TransTape takes time and no one is expecting you to get it right the first time!
I sure didn't!
I've been using TransTape for years and I still have application accidents from time to time.
These things happen to everyone, so try not to beat yourself up about it!
It's not about being perfect, it's about being yourself.
So treat your body, and your mind, with love and respect!
The rest will follow.
Until next time,
Stay awesome,
Stay beautiful,
Stay you.
You are loved and it gets better.
Talk to you soon,
Jamie
Welcome to the cool kids club!
My name is Jamie and I'm a young (ish) transman born and raised in the Hudson Valley of New York state. I started my transition in May of 2017 and since then, I've made it my mission to live unapologetically as myself and spread awareness through my pursuit of happiness. I am the creator and writer of Spilling T blog, a proud affiliate of TransTape and when I'm not outside with the best dog ever or hanging out with my two cats, I make and sell my own beard care products through Buckaroo's Beard Care. I'm always looking for my next adventure and have been skydiving, road-tripping, hiking in the mountains and even served for a short time in the United States Marine Corps. My life has had its fair share of twists and turns and I hope to use those experiences to create helpful and relatable content that may help someone else navigate a difficult time in life.
Beards, Socials, Tape and Writing
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