Medical & surgical tape
Medical tapes hold dressings, cannulas, tubes and devices securely in place without damaging the skin underneath. MEC stocks the tapes clinics, wards and home carers reorder most — 3M Micropore paper tape, 3M Microfoam elastic foam tape, soft silicone tapes for fragile skin, and wide-area fixation tapes including Hypafix and Fixomull.
How to choose a medical tape
Choose by the skin you're taping to and what the tape has to hold.
| Tape type | Best suited to | At MEC |
|---|---|---|
| Paper tape | Everyday securing of light dressings and tubing. Breathable, hypoallergenic and gentle on most skin, with little residue. | 3M Micropore (25, 50 and 75 mm) |
| Soft silicone tape | Fragile, elderly or neonatal skin, and anywhere the tape is removed often. Lifts away gently and can be repositioned. | 3M Micropore S, Insil perforated silicone tape, SupraMed silicone tape |
| Elastic foam tape | Joints, skin folds and areas that swell. Stretches in all directions, conforms to contours and is water-resistant. | 3M Microfoam (25, 50 and 100 mm) |
| Wide-area fixation tape | Securing dressings over larger areas, joints and highly contoured parts of the body. Cut to size and apply over the whole dressing. | Hypafix, Fixomull Stretch, Fixomull Skin Sensitive |
To avoid skin damage, apply tape without stretching it (unless it's designed to stretch), and remove it slowly, low and parallel to the skin while supporting the skin underneath. On fragile skin, a barrier film under the tape adds protection.
Medical tape FAQs
What is the gentlest medical tape for sensitive skin?
Soft silicone tapes are the gentlest to remove and are the usual choice for elderly, fragile or neonatal skin. Paper tapes such as 3M Micropore are also hypoallergenic and gentle for everyday use.
What is Hypafix or Fixomull used for?
Both are BSN wide-area fixation tapes — soft, non-woven adhesive sheets used to hold dressings in place over larger areas and on joints or other body parts that move. They are cut to size from the roll and applied over the dressing.
What is the difference between medical tape and normal tape?
Medical tapes are made for use on skin: they use skin-friendly, hypoallergenic adhesives, are breathable, and are designed to hold securely yet come off without tearing the skin or leaving heavy residue.
Ordering tape by the box for a ward, clinic or aged-care facility? Contact our team for volume pricing.