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Thread: skin glue

  1. #1
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    Default skin glue

    I've heard of using superglue on cuts, but I know what doctors use is different than ACTUAL superglue. I'd think there would be bad components/solvent/who knows what in actual superglue. SO - anyone know of any sources for the medical stuff?

    I've seen my vet use this on pets a couple times, once a torn ear from a scuffle, commonly on my pet rats when they have tumor removals - no stitches, just glue is enough. Basically for those who don't know you hold the wound open a little apply liberally, then press the wound shut and hold for 30-45 seconds. Done.

    I'm seriously considering asking my vet for some for my first aid kit. I live in a rural area and my vets are used to my wierd requests, they'll probably sell it to me. That or I could go to my general doctor and ask him, he's pretty cool... but I'm thinking the stuff for humans would be much more expensive.

    Has anyone tried one of the liquid bandages? Is that the same stuff just OTC? I've never used it before.

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    If you don't already know, then you shouldn't be glueing your wounds shut. Stick with irrigation using boiled water and a sanitary bandage.

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    Good point, and I forgot to add you do the skin glue on an already cleaned/disinfected cut.

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    Super glue was pretty much originally invented for wound closure -- it's unclear how exactly the type used in ERs is different from what you would buy at any hardware or convenience store. One tiny tube of super glue is an excellent lightweight addition to a small backpacker first aid kit. My backpacking kit weighs only a few ounces and fits in a one quart zip-lock easily and includes Dr. Scolls blister bandaids which also work as regular bandages, 1/2 roll coaches tape, 1/2 roll roller gauze, 2 asprin (for M.I.), 8-10 ibuprophen, super glue, needle (lancet), tiny tiny bottle of povidone iodine (like 2-3 teaspoons) and 1 pr. latex gloves, (with kids and groups I add benadryl and epinephrine).

    When my daughter was 5 years old, she cut her chin open pretty good -- after I stopped the bleeding with well-aimed direct pressure and irrigated the would (and calmed her down), I decided a stitch would be a good idea. We went to an ER but I realized it would be an all night wait and neither of us were interested. Instead, I got her to lay down with her chin up and simply super glued the wound neatly closed (obviously a little crafts-personship helps here). This is a spot that might have called for 3-4 sutures. A MD friend of mine (who worked in an ER) looked at it a few days later and said that he wouldn't have been able to improve on the closure. There is no visible scar. Super glue is also especially recommended on moving body parts -- like between your thumb and forefinger because other bandaging methods could either render fingers temporarily un-usable or just pull-out. One thing to remember is to also control swelling - ice is best. Cold creek water will work too but you have to commit to it. Also, slathering the inside or edges of wounds in neosporin is bad - it actually creates a slimy area for bacteria -- I like stopping the bleed, cleaning with a weak iodine solution, closing, then if you want to apply a little neosporin on the outside as a final step, then ok. FYI, I'm not a doc (just a WFR with a lot of practice with this stuff).
    Last edited by Papa D; 01-07-2012 at 09:54.

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    I just bought some single use super-glue tubes and weight is like 2-1/2 grams. I'm def. gonna carry a couple of these with me.
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  6. #6

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    I'm willing to bet (I don't know anything about this subject) that if medical people still use "super-glue" for closing wounds that there are special procedures and wounds that it must be used on and other types that it can't be used on. Furthermore, (still guessing) I would think that this "super-glue" is manufactured differently, i.e. to meet certain medical standards for the issue biological safety. Not saiying that infection is imminent with normal store-bought superglue, but certainly much more of a chance.

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    I've used "New-Skin" liquid bandage before. It works very well in my experience, but I don't think I'd go along with bringing one of those bottles on the AT. I was most likely going to go with some blister pads, some safety pins (pop blisters, hang yesterday's socks from my pack to dry, etc) super glue, and some ibuprofin/asprin... might bring a roll of that athletic-style tape (looks like chalky white electrical tape, you know?) to wrap on fingers/toes if I end up having things rub bad, but I can very well see myself ditching that at some point.

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    I worked in surgery for 40 years+ and saw super glue used regularly. Later on the manufacturers got on the band wagon and developed a "medical grade" product for about 20 times the cost. The biggest issue in the O.R. was how to sterilize the outside of the tube so the surgeon could handle it without contamination. I believe the first uses of this was in Viet Nam for wounds with massive surface bleeding.
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    Btw, products such as New-Skin are considered dressings (like gauze), not adhesives. The medical-specific equivalent of super glue is a product such as Dermabond. They're both cyanoacrylates, just different configurations. Super glue is fine to use on injuries that aren't deep injuries. In Papa D's example, an injury to the chin is fine, it doesn't really go to deep tissue. I'd feel fine using super glue on most cuts and such, but a deep puncture wound I would not. And in those situations, medical professionals would probably go for a simple dressing in lieu of Dermabond as well.

    The thing to keep in mind about super glue is that it's not permeable. While it'll be good for stopping any bleeding, and decreasing the liklihood of a scar, it is going to prolong the healing process. You're going to want to break away the glue on regular basis to give it a good opportunity to heal up. The products that are more medically geared (whether they be the liquid dressings such as New-Skin, or a medical cyanoacrylate like Dermabond) are going to be semipermeable, allowing exchange of gases through the membrane. Still, you'd want to change that ever 3-4 days or so to give the wound the best healing as possible.

  10. #10

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    Rambo sewed himself up. That's good enough for me. I've got a needle and dental floss.
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

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    Rambo sewed himself up. That's good enough for me. I've got a needle and dental floss.

    If you got too much of that glue into a cut, could it plug up capillaries? I imagine veins and especially arteries would be fine because the blood would be flowing out pretty fast.
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

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    Just another anecdote: For many years they were using it to repair detached retinas in Canada long before US FDA finally approved it's use for that purpose. Boxers and other athletes with such eye injuries would routinely go to Canada for treatment, where they'd super glue the retina back in place. It was standard practice - boxers would be on a plane literally right after a fight.

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    Here's a pic of the product that RWheeler is speaking about. Dermabond. I don't know where you can get it locally or such but maybe you can google it or ebay it. I use this now but before I got it I just used regular super glue and not necessarily super glue brand or whatever, Wally stuff works just fine too. Christmas 2011 048.jpg
    "Hiking is as close to God as you can get without going to Church." - BobbyJo Sargent aka milkman Sometimes it's nice to take a long walk in THE FOG.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinker View Post
    Rambo sewed himself up. That's good enough for me. I've got a needle and dental floss.

    If you got too much of that glue into a cut, could it plug up capillaries? I imagine veins and especially arteries would be fine because the blood would be flowing out pretty fast.
    You should try to only apply it skin deep, and as your skin heals, sheds, and grows new layers the superglue will travel outward with the skin and be shed. Capillaries getting "plugged" isn't an issue - the body repairs the damaged area anyway. It's definitely best not to force it into deep wounds, but if you have a wound that deep where any significant muscle tissue has been cut or a major blood vessel is involved you have bigger problems and need to get some real med attention anyway.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by 4eyedbuzzard View Post
    You should try to only apply it skin deep, and as your skin heals, sheds, and grows new layers the superglue will travel outward with the skin and be shed. Capillaries getting "plugged" isn't an issue - the body repairs the damaged area anyway. It's definitely best not to force it into deep wounds, but if you have a wound that deep where any significant muscle tissue has been cut or a major blood vessel is involved you have bigger problems and need to get some real med attention anyway.
    Right. Common sense, really, I guess. But, then again, how common is sense these days??
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by RWheeler View Post
    I've used "New-Skin" liquid bandage before. It works very well in my experience, but I don't think I'd go along with bringing one of those bottles on the AT. I was most likely going to go with some blister pads, some safety pins (pop blisters, ....
    I use New Skin exclusively for blisters, been using it for many years now. I would never leave home with out it. I tried blister pads - totally useless. I've tried every blister cure there is and New Skin heals blisters quicker than any than any other method.
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  17. #17

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    They used the medical grade of super glue to close my chest after heart surgery (the "zipper scar" no longer has the cross hatches from stitches as it did years ago). On my wife's knee replacement surgery they sewed it. I asked the doctor why they didn't use the super glue on it, he said there is too much pulling and side forces to glue it, so they still use stitches for some things and super glue for others. On my bypass heart surgery where they 'harvested' veins to use on my leg they used the super glue, but also had to put in a few stitches - used both.

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    Found Dermabond on amazon. 30 dollars for one .5ml single use vial! Think I'll stick to dollar store super glue. It also works great for those annoying cracks in your finger alongside your fingernail that seem to never heal.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dshideler View Post
    Found Dermabond on amazon. 30 dollars for one .5ml single use vial! Think I'll stick to dollar store super glue. It also works great for those annoying cracks in your finger alongside your fingernail that seem to never heal.
    +1 on finger cracks. I work with my hands and they are painful as hell. A drop of super glue and 2 minutes later the crack is closed and the pain is gone. The glue just sheds away as the skin grows out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    I use New Skin exclusively for blisters, been using it for many years now. I would never leave home with out it. I tried blister pads - totally useless. I've tried every blister cure there is and New Skin heals blisters quicker than any than any other method.
    I don't know why I've never thought to use it for blisters. Well, I think it may have just earned its way back into my first aid kit...

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