I have a problem with normal medicated plasters. It gives me horrible rashes due to the plastic/glue material. I seem to have an allergic reaction to them. It doesn’t matter what kind is it – from your Band Aids to cooling relief pads – it’ll give me an angry, red and swollen rash within a couple of hours.
Allow me to illustrate:
I stuck on a generic Band Aid during dinner at a friend’s place. Yes, I did this intentionally. I did not have a wound, I just wanted to show my allergic reaction to plasters.
I took it off after a few hours and you can already see the redness of the skin under it. It grows progressively worse and worse even though I’ve washed the area with soup and water.
Here’s what it looks like 12 hours later. The skin under the plaster is swollen and itchy. This isn’t the worst part. It’s going to get even worse over the days.
Imagine walking around with an irritatingly itchy rash like that for about two weeks. Now you know why I’m so hesitant about using any type of plasters. I can only use cotton pads with sterile hypoallergenic tape without producing an ugly rash since I was a kid.
However, I was curious as to how I would react to Tiger Balm Plasters.
I reckon that since I might suffer an allergic reaction to it, I might as well get something out of it and have someone else put it on for me, preferably hot. 
Hang on, let me rephrase that. Heh. I meant the plaster, not the girl. It’s the Tiger Balm Plasters – Warm with capsicum extract.
(although Karina is pretty hot too – thanks for helping me stick it on!)
It was over midnight before I took it off so the plaster was on me for over 8 hours.
I did not get a rash from it! 😀
I love it – the Tiger Balm Plasters are awesome! Now that I know I can use it without allergic reactions (think I know why – more on that later) here’s a short description if you’re wondering whether you should get the Cool Plaster or Warm Plaster:
Cool Plaster
Pain e.g. muscular strain, sprain, and backache.
Warm Plaster
Chronic pain e.g. back aches, muscle pain, arthritis and rheumatism. Contains capsicum extract.
As a general rule of thumb, use the Cool Plasters for lasting relief from the kind of pain you get from straining a muscle while exercising or backaches after a long day at work sitting in a rigid chair. The Warm Plasters are for those stubborn backaches and pains that just won’t go away.
I love the smell of Tiger Balm – it’s something I grew up with and the brand is trusted (and used) by generations. I didn’t realize they have plasters until a friend told me. It’s very easy to put on – except on your back la, that kind of thing isn’t something you can do alone. 😉
Here’s how you can easily apply the Tiger Balm Plaster by yourself (when you don’t have someone nearby to help you out) on tricky areas like the knee and the elbow:
1. Put hydrogel plaster on additional adhesive after taking off the backing and lay it out on a flat surface e.g. a table
2. Lower your elbow into the hydrogel bit.
3. Finish up by using your other hand to stick the extra large additional adhesive around the area.
There you have it! Three simple steps to independence! 🙂
The additional adhesive that comes with the plasters. It allows for an extra strong hold on movable parts of your body (elbows, knees, joints) and the hydrogel plaster contains the unique Tiger Balm formulation that delivers long lasting relief from muscle pain.
I also noticed that the adhesive works very well for me – it doesn’t cause any allergic reactions. I think it’s coz of the high quality adhesive they use. It also allows for ventilation and is stretchable. The non-woven material is very gentle and comfortable to the skin – I should know, I have embarrassingly sensitive skin – and it peels off easily to boot.
I’ve used both the Warm Plaster and the Cool Plaster. I like the feeling of the Warm Plaster. I didn’t feel anything at first but after a couple of minutes, a warm sensation started to spread on my shoulders from the capsicum extract and it’s a really, really nice feeling. I don’t know about you but I prefer it to the Cold Plaster.
I do have back pain from my posture while sitting so it’s I really like the plasters. It comes in a new packaging now and you can get it for RM 6.80 (Large) and RM 5.20 (Small). It’s available at all chain pharmacies like Guardian, Watson and Caring, and also your neighborhood pharmacies.
I think it’s awesome stuff. It’s great value for money since each pack comes with two plasters. I can just get one from the pharmacy and put it on for lasting relief from the muscle aches on my shoulders. It’s just RM 3.60 for one of the large ones, much less than what I pay for my lunch. 😉
omg the rash you get is shocking. why does that happen? has it healed yet?
so normal plasters give you rash but tiger balm does not. have you found out why?
Hello Peggy!
I’ve always been like that. 🙂
I can only use clean, hypoallergenic stuff so I normally use surgical tape and cotton. Tiger Balm seems to use the same material coz I don’t get a rash from it.
Nope, it’s still visible. The scar will be there for months.
LOL !!
1st time I know that there is a allergy reaction to plaster ~
Do you know what causes it ?
I don’t have an allergic reaction if it’s the high quality stuff. 🙂
It needs to be made of the white hypoallergenic material. It’s very rare so I usually use surgical tape and cotton.
The Tiger Balm stuff doesn’t cause an allergic reaction though. 😀
I don’t know what causes it but Yj seems to explain it well!
I have tried the Tiger Balm Plaster too and I think it is great.. I actually even tried out both cool and warm together on the same day. Cool on the right of my back and warm on the left. It was quite fun doing it at the same time i felt better the next day. My backache was really creating problems for me.
Yeah me too! I can actually feel the Warm Tiger Balm plasters and the Cool one is pretty good too. It does wonders for my sore shoulders coz I have a very bad posture.
Haha! That sounds fun, will try doing both Warm and Cool at the same time. 🙂
” It grows progressively worse and worse even though I’ve washed the area with soup and water.”
I know this is an advertorial but using soap will only exacerbate your contact dermatitis! Normally when that happens, apply moisturizer,or thin layer of steroid cream or take anti histamine will do =)
Using the soap part is not so important i think. The most important part is that he gets the rashes after using any normal plaster.
In the case of using moisturizer, thin layer of steroid cream ( steroids? new reader? ) or take anti histamine ; he would not need to do any of these if he did not get the rashes in the first place…
I am an avid reader of HB and he is very thorough with his writing.
Lol,this is just a general advice for ppl who develop rashes after coming into contact with any allergen,this condition is allergic contact dermatitis.allergen does not limit to only plaster,just in case Hb develops rashes from other sources next time,soap is never a solution that’s all. Steroid cream refers to corticosteroid cream such as betametasone cream which has anti-inflammatory effect to help to reduce inflammation of the rashes. You are so cute to be protective over Hb but please do some research before making any assumption what is important what is not =)
Thanks for the explanation Yj! 🙂
Contact dermatitis eh? I never knew what it was called. Hmm…problem is I am a soup kinda guy, don’t even use shampoo, so I don’t think stuff like that can even be found in my house.
Anti-histamines, that I got though. 😉
Yeah, it’s a good thing the Tiger Balm plasters don’t cause any allergic reactions. 🙂
Cheers bro! 😀
Hey, thanks Yj! 🙂
I have never though about WHAT causes it, it has been happening since I was a kid, so I never though to question it. My mom just got me using surgical tape and cotton when we realized what was happening when I was young.
It doesn’t happen with the Tiger Balm plasters or surgical tape though – if the material is hypoallergenic, I can use it.
Thanks for the advice. 😀
haha no worries! just something i learn from my uni course and work =D i like the fact that the tiger balm plaster is big and flexible enough to wrap around ur elbow! very helpful for wound at joint area i reckon
Interesting! Are you studying medicine or a related field?
Yup, that’s the best part about the Tiger Balm Plasters – it comes with the additional adhesive that stretches around difficult parts! 😀
yeap i’m a pharmacy graduate 😀
Nice! You based in Malaysia? 🙂
long story… didn’t get my degree in msia but i’m going back to msia after my graduation T_T i see u have found me on fb!
I must say, this is my mom’s favourite. She had like a huge box set of this at her home.
Heh! Yeah, it’s very useful to have around. I love the sensation that it gives me. 🙂
HB, you are an organic person like some of my friends unable to wear poly fabric must be all nature fibers. I perfer plaster that made with fabric not plastic one also. I scatch like crazy from it.
Hmm…I wouldn’t say I’m an organic person. It’s just a skin condition. 🙂
I’m alright with good quality hypoallergenic stuff. 😀
soup? soap? hehehehhe
Soap. Haha! Soap kinda person. 😀
wah reserve one for me please cos my back also aching!
Sure thing Eiling!
It’s damn good – you can feel the heat from the Warm ones too! 🙂
I got the same problem too!!! only mine starts after a day. n it will takes few days for the rash to go away. lol…
Hey, we’re both in the same boat Fiona! 😀
Mine takes a bit longer to heal though, it’s still here. It starts just after a few hours.
I have to use hypoallergenic or the good quality stuff so I don’t get rashes.
I’m allergic to plasters too – even the ones for skin-sensitive people do not go down well with me…but hey! These Tiger Balm plasters look like something that I would find very very useful… Old man mah! LOL!!!
Yeah, you can try it out! I’m allergic to a lot of plasters too but not the Tiger Balm ones. 🙂
Haha! What old man, I use it and I’m not old. It feels good, the plasters. 😀
I too suffer from the same fate! I am also partly allergic to latex (some parts of my body are more susceptible than others LOL) and the adhesive as well on band-aids. So as you can imagine, after post-op care was pretty close to impossible to keeping my wounds and sutures covered without the aid of any sort of adhesive!
Hey! How about that, I thought I was pretty much alone in my misery so I never talk about it until someone asks me why I have a Bandaid shaped scar for weeks or months. Haha.
I’m okay with surgical grade tape though…sorry to hear that!
Hi there,
I know this post was a long time ago but recently due to some cheap plasters I’m getting the exact same nasty red patch on my skin. The itchiness has subsided thanks to anti-histamine pills, but the redness is what I’m scared of. Will it go away? How are your scars now?