How to Adhere Heavy Fake Plastic Wounds to Skin

A heavy plastic fake wound should look a lot like the real thing.

Fake wounds are the most crucial part of any relevant costume for Halloween or a film and television. A good fake wound can convey the gravity of an imaginary situation and make the audience sympathize with a given character even more. Heavy plastic fake wounds can be the trickiest wounds to attach to human skin because gravity wants the wounds to slide off. However, such massive wounds create the most dramatic effect and can adhere to the skin with time and patience.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton balls
• Rubbing alcohol or astringent
• Razor
• Spirit gum
• Foundation
• Cosmetic sponge
• Concealing powder
• Make up brush
• Fake blood

Instructions

1. Select the area of your body where the fake wound should go. If this endeavor is for a film, television show or for a play, the script will indicate where the wound should be. If you want to attach the fake wound for fun, you can put it anywhere on your body, although putting it on more visible places, such as your neck, face or arm would be a wise decision.

2. Moisten a cotton ball and wipe down the area of your skin where you would like to place the fake wound with rubbing alcohol or astringent. Allow it to air dry.

3. Shave the area of your skin where the fake plastic wound will go with a razor, even if you can't see any prominent hairs. The glue will attach to those fine hairs if you don't shave them off, making removal extremely painful.

4. Apply a thin layer of spirit gum to the general surface area of the skin where the wound will go. Flip the fake wound over and apply a generous layer of spirit gum to the back of it. Spirit gum is a type of adhesive used for attaching costume prosthetics such as fake wounds, wigs and beards. You can purchase some at any makeup shop that sell supplies for the theater, film and television industries.

5. Press it firmly onto the designated area with one hand. With your other hand, use a cotton ball to wipe any spirit gum that has oozed out. Press the wound onto the skin for five minutes.

6. Dab foundation that match the wound and the skin of the wearer around the circumference of the wound. Blend it with a cosmetic sponge. Dip a brush in concealing powder of the same color and brush it over and around the wound.

7. Add a dot of fake blood to the wound so that it looks fresh.

References

• "The Essential Digital Video Handbook: a Comprehensive Guide to Making Videos"; Peter Francis May; 2004