Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
United KingdomHoney, gauze is only made of pure grade cotton. If you are allergic to that, you'd have known before this as you must surely have worn cotton blouses or tee-shirts at some time!
As for the surgical tape, if it was Micropore or anything similar, it's not the tape or the adhesive you are reacting to since they are both hypoallogenic. What causes skin reactions is that they are supposed to be gently laid on the skin and patted in place. But staff often apply it with tension, meaning they stick one end on the skin and then pull on it before the stick the other end down. This means the skin has tension or stretch applied to it and the skin doesn't like that so it reacts with a variety of soreness, spots, micro blisters and so on. (Steristrips are made of Micropore - other brands have similar properties)
I have suffered that myself when I had my first knee done. I had a double row of really angry blistery spots either side of the wound where the Steristrips were. They took weeks to get better. I pronounced myself allergic to Steristrips so the with next knee I had staples. But in the meantime, I met a 3Ms (also J&J) company chap at an exhibition and expressed my concern that I had a skin reaction to their supposedly hypoallogenic dressings and that when I learned about the real issue. It actually says as much in the leaflet in every packet of Steristrips but then, who reads the enclosed literature? I worked in theatre for nigh on 50 years and I know I never did!
As for the surgical tape, if it was Micropore or anything similar, it's not the tape or the adhesive you are reacting to since they are both hypoallogenic. What causes skin reactions is that they are supposed to be gently laid on the skin and patted in place. But staff often apply it with tension, meaning they stick one end on the skin and then pull on it before the stick the other end down. This means the skin has tension or stretch applied to it and the skin doesn't like that so it reacts with a variety of soreness, spots, micro blisters and so on. (Steristrips are made of Micropore - other brands have similar properties)
I have suffered that myself when I had my first knee done. I had a double row of really angry blistery spots either side of the wound where the Steristrips were. They took weeks to get better. I pronounced myself allergic to Steristrips so the with next knee I had staples. But in the meantime, I met a 3Ms (also J&J) company chap at an exhibition and expressed my concern that I had a skin reaction to their supposedly hypoallogenic dressings and that when I learned about the real issue. It actually says as much in the leaflet in every packet of Steristrips but then, who reads the enclosed literature? I worked in theatre for nigh on 50 years and I know I never did!
My degree is in interior design and I am a super 'symmetrical' person. I have worked on becoming more comfortable with random, asymmetrical design schemes, but still struggle with it. I'm just more comfortable with mirror images. 
Thanks for asking my friend! 
But do you still have to report into the local Nick? 
I'm sure you are ready for a string of good news to land in your lap. In regards to feeling those new shiny hips? Once my hips where in, I never could distinguish the difference between my nature hips and the news metal hips. All I noticed was the freedom of no pain and the sheer delight to move around like a 20 year old again!
