Steri-Strips are made of a porous, non-woven backing material reinforced with polyester filaments, coated on one side with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The strips are latex-free and hypoallergenic, designed to hold wound edges together while letting air pass through to the skin beneath.
Backing Material and Reinforcement
The main body of a Steri-Strip is a non-woven fabric with a microporous structure. Think of it like a very thin, flexible mesh rather than a solid sheet of tape. This porosity is what makes the strips breathable, allowing rapid air transmission through the material. That airflow creates an environment that discourages bacterial growth around the wound.
Woven through this backing are polyester filaments that act as reinforcing fibers. These filaments give the strips their tensile strength, meaning they resist stretching and won’t snap when the skin around a wound moves or swells. The reinforced version resists elongation well enough to prevent blisters from forming under the strip, while still flexing enough to move with the body. A non-reinforced “blend-tone” version also exists for areas where cosmetic appearance matters more than maximum holding strength.
The Adhesive Layer
The underside of each strip is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that bonds aggressively to skin on contact. This adhesive is hypoallergenic and contains no natural rubber latex, which makes the strips safe for people with latex allergies. (One note: while the strips themselves are latex-free, certain packaging configurations that bundle Steri-Strips with transparent film dressings have historically contained latex in the packaging material, not in the strip itself.)
The adhesive is designed to hold firmly for up to two weeks, then gradually lose its grip as the skin naturally sheds cells beneath it. This is why Steri-Strips are meant to fall off on their own rather than being peeled away. The bond is water-resistant but not waterproof, so prolonged soaking or direct water pressure will weaken it over time.
Available Sizes and Variations
Steri-Strips come in three standard widths: 1/8 inch, 1/4 inch, and 1/2 inch. Narrower strips work for small cuts or areas with tight contours, while wider strips provide more surface area for adhesion on larger or higher-tension wounds. The reinforced version with polyester filaments is the most common in clinical settings. The blend-tone version uses the same non-woven backing without the reinforcing fibers, trading some strength for a skin-colored appearance that blends in better.
How the Materials Affect Performance
The combination of microporous backing and aggressive adhesive is what sets Steri-Strips apart from regular medical tape. The porosity lets moisture vapor escape from the skin, which reduces maceration (the white, soggy breakdown you get when skin stays wet under an occlusive bandage). At the same time, the adhesive maintains a strong enough bond to hold wound edges in alignment without sutures for small, low-tension wounds.
Because they’re water-resistant rather than waterproof, showering with Steri-Strips requires some care. Covering them with plastic wrap or a waterproof bandage before getting in the shower helps preserve the adhesive bond. If they do get wet, patting them dry with a clean towel or using a hairdryer on a cool setting helps them recover. Hot water and prolonged moisture are the main enemies of the adhesive.
How They Compare to Other Closures
Steri-Strips occupy a middle ground between liquid skin adhesives (like cyanoacrylate glue) and traditional sutures. Their non-woven, porous construction makes them the fastest closure method to apply. Unlike liquid adhesives, they can be repositioned during application and removed without solvents. Unlike sutures, they don’t puncture the skin, which eliminates the risk of suture-track scarring. They’re often used alone on minor cuts or as reinforcement over sutures or staples after the primary closure is removed, adding extra support during the later stages of healing.