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What are Bandage Clips?

Lori Kilchermann
Lori Kilchermann

Bandage clips are the small clips that are used to hold an elastic bandage in place. These clips can be both metal and plastic and have small teeth, which bite into the bandage to keep it in place. These bandage clips are easily removed and are much less prone to injuring the user when compared to using safety pin.

Prior to bandage clips, safety pins were used to hold bandages in place. An inherent problem with the safety pins was inadvertent stabbing of the injured patient. These pins would also come open as the patient moved or slept, and this would allow the bandage to come off. Bandage clips continually bite in deeper as the patient moves, thus continuing to keep the bandage tight and in place.

A medical professional wrapping a person's knee with an elastic bandage.
A medical professional wrapping a person's knee with an elastic bandage.

Perhaps the greatest success of the bandage clip lies in its ability to be applied by the patient without assistance. While safety pins are difficult for a patient to use without assistance, a bandage clips' ease of application can often be accomplished by the patient without assistance. They can typically be easily applied with either hand by the patient.

Bandage clips are used to hold crepe bandages and wrapping in place, otherwise they would just unravel.
Bandage clips are used to hold crepe bandages and wrapping in place, otherwise they would just unravel.

Another innovation of the plastic bandage clips are the ability to remain in place during the taking of X-rays. The clips can be X-rayed without danger of showing up in the shot. This allows burn victims and other injured patients to remain bandaged while undergoing this procedure. Prior to the clips, patients would often be required to remove the bandages prior to having an X-ray.

Bandage clips are also important in the fight against blood born disease. Prior to the bandage clip, infection could be passed from patient to patient, and patient to doctor, through small pricks with a safety pin. The clips are much more sterile than the pins and offer much less threat of cross-contamination from person to person.

Animals also benefit from bandage clips. The clips are being used by veterinarians in the treatment of small animals. The animals are prone to injury from pins if they are able to chew on their bandages. The clips prevent the sticking injuries associated with pins. They are also much easier to apply on a struggling animal than a safety pin.

Sterility, ease of application and holding power have all helped to make the bandage clip a much needed medical staple. Preferred by medical staff and patients alike in many instances, the bandage clip soars high above its predecessor, the safety pin. Found worldwide in hospitals and even veterinarian clinics, the bandage clip has served well in many different cases.

Discussion Comments

candyquilt

@ysmina, @feruze-- This is precisely why I avoid bandages with loose bandage clips. They might work better than safety pins, but they do come off and fall off too.

I don't know if you guys know this, but there are actually bandages with built-in bandage clips available. They can't be found in every store, but you will be able to find them in all medical stores for sure. These have bandage clips attached to the bandage, so you can't lose them no matter what.

There are also bandages that are self-adhering and which don't require clips at all. But those don't work well, they don't adhere well enough. I always end up using bandage clips with those.

So the best option is definitely the bandages with the built-in clips. Save yourself money and effort.

bear78
@ysmina-- I used to have that problem too! At one point, I even bought a whole pack of extra bandage clips because I knew I would lose all the ones I had. I'm an athlete and suffer from sprains and other injuries a lot. So bandages and bandage clips are something that I can't live without.

Which type of clips are you using? Are you using the elastic bandage clips or the old ones that are completely metal?

If you are using the metal ones and putting more than two clips on the bandage, you will more than likely lose some. You actually need just one, at most two clips to hold the bandage in place. The rest will get loose and fall. The new flexible ones are better in that regard because you can adjust the length of the clip and place it more easily.

ysmina

I completely agree, bandage clips work much better than safety pins. Another problem with safety pins is that if the bandage is thick, it's difficult to get the pin to go through the layers. Plus, pins don't maintain the same tightness and pressure used when putting the bandage on. The bandage becomes really loose and you have to keep fixing it. Not very efficient when you're using the bandage for compression or to keep a joint immobile.

Bandage clips work perfect in this regard. They keep everything in place, with the same tightness and don't come off. The only bad thing about bandage clips in my view is their size. They're so small that I often misplace them. I've had to resort to using a safety pin a couple of times because I couldn't find the bandage clips that came with the bandage.

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    • A medical professional wrapping a person's knee with an elastic bandage.
      By: Gennadiy Poznyakov
      A medical professional wrapping a person's knee with an elastic bandage.
    • Bandage clips are used to hold crepe bandages and wrapping in place, otherwise they would just unravel.
      By: rgbdigital.co.uk
      Bandage clips are used to hold crepe bandages and wrapping in place, otherwise they would just unravel.