Medical tape is a large category of medical dressings that are made of different materials like paper, fabric, plastic, or foam, and adhere to the skin with some form of adhesive. Some medical tape is rigid like silk surgical tape or elasticized like elastic foam tape and kinesiology tape.
The adhesive at the back is specially designed to be gentle on skin, but strong enough to last for at least a day. These adhesives can also help keep bacteria and dirt away from the wound site, and in most cases is designed to be hypoallergenic so it doesn’t irritate sensitive or allergy-prone skin.