MARSI stands for “medical adhesive-related skin injuries”. They usually look very ugly, can take a long time to heal and can get infected. They are overlooked and often preventable. They can affect anyone.

Ripping a band-aid off means that a much larger force is exerted on the skin than necessary. It can cause detachment of one or more skin layers and thus can also cause tears in the skin.

In addition, many people are allergic to the adhesives used in plasters and such sensitivities can suddenly become much worse. This can effectively cause a chemical burn injury.

Teach your children to be gentle and you’ll benefit a large number of people, in many more ways than you will hold possible.

For medical professionals, there is a “best practice consensus document on prevention”: