super glue as a plaster

[doctor Bob]

Hi,
Over the last month I have found super glue to be an excellent medical aid...

1/ blacked nail about to come off and catching on everything, super glue it on and let it grow out naturally
2/ Blisters due to rowing, plasters kept coming off, so super glued over them, perfect no pain whatsoever.
3/ nasty cut, glued it shut, lasted about a day by which time the healing had started.

question is am I going to die of super glue poisoning?

 

[paulm]

Works for me too, great for paper and other similar cuts, stops them catching and popping open again, haven't died yet (tempting fate !)

Cheers, Paul

 

[Elapid]

The stuff in hospitals is near enough the same stuff. Super glue was designed and invented for treating gunshot wounds on the battlefield by the US army.

When I worked as a butcher I cut myself very deeply many times and would have lost a days pay if it wasn't for the use of superglue.

DISCLAIMER: In the event of injury you should always seek professional medical treatment.

 

[Kalimna]

Elapid - I used to think that as well regarding cyanoacrylate, however I am pretty certain that it is in fact an urban myth regarding the US army. It doesnt half stick skin well though

Adam

 

[Karl]

One of my sons cut the back of his head open on a playground a couple of years ago. Lorraine took him to A&E, and they superglued the cut together.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

The inventor died recently, he devised it for casting gun sights in WW2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_glue

I use it my self, it stings but works well, better than plasters on me.

Pete

 

[Karl]

Interesting linky Pete - i'd always understood it was developed in WW1 for glueing wounds together. Clearly an urban myth.

Cheers

Karl

 

[mailee]

I had heard like you Karl that it was developed for treating wounds, but in Vietnam. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read.

 

[Lons]

I've used it for years, ever since my wife attended a caesarian section operation where the surgeon used it to glue the rather sizeable cut together. (I felt decidedly queazy at the gory tale).

Anyway, she says it's not sterile and I'm asking for trouble but it works for me. I keep a bottle (screwfix best) in the workshop first aid kit. One of the best things it does is prevent keens on fingers/thumbs spreading if you're unlucky enough to suffer.

Bob

ps .. My daughter had a serious car accident about 12 years ago and they superglued a large part of her ear together - the scars are vitually invisible.

 

[JakeS]

Anyway, she says it's not sterile and I'm asking for trouble but it works for me.

It may not be, but as I understand it, it cures quicker the more moisture is present - so it's likely that it'll go solid and cocoon anything bad before it deposits it in your bloodstream!

(And let's be honest, how many of the things that you're going to cut yourself on are sterile, either?)

I've also used it for emergency wound patching, never had a problem.

 

[AndyT]

There is a first-aid product, called "Germolene New Skin liquid plaster" which is somewhat similar, at least in the application, and may be a bit better in use. It comes in a little bottle (like a Tippex bottle) with an applicator. You paint it on to small wounds and it sticks the skin together. You can also build up a layer over a grazed area. The result is that you get protection for the wound which is really quite hard-wearing and a lot less bother than a plaster.

 

[speeder1987]

Savlon are doing something similar with a spray on plaster, and its antiseptic ...... costs more than CA glue though

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Apparently it was developed as "Kodak 911", and was specifically designed to stick flesh.(so I was always led to believe)

 

[Racers]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_glue

 

[bexupnorth]

I've used it (intentionally and unintentionally) to stick skin together with good results. Another one for the first aid box is a roll of clingfilm, fantastic for holding together bigger cuts that are still bleeding. Works well on burns too, though I haven't tried the latter it was recomended as after care for a tattoo and worked brilliantly. Got the tip from a guy who used to patch up footie hooligans who'd been stanleyed, has the added advantage of being sterile too.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_glue

Interesting - I was told it was 911, because their emergency services 'phone is 911. It's academic, I'm not going to bust a gut looking it up any further.

 

[Greedo]

Interesting thread. So say you slice a deep cut in your finger with a chisel for arguments sake.

Do you :-

a) put superglue in the actual cut and then hold together until it sets after a few seconds

or

b) pinch the cut and close it up and then put superglue over the top to help seal it?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Go for B. Incidentally, it works well for torn nails.

 

[Lons]

Go for B. Incidentally, it works well for torn nails.

+1

Don't put it in the cut. Best method is once youve pinched together, quick dab with a tissue to remove excess blood then thin layer of superglue. If bad, you can put another layer on top.
It's only there to keep the cut together and promote fast healing so needs to be done immediately ( not an hour later after you've wrapped it to stop the blood whilst finishing the job #-o )

Bob

 

[wobblycogs]

I was superglued up in hospital a couple of years ago now and I got chatting with the surgeon while he was working on me. As an ex-chemist I cant help myself I have to find out what stuff is made from. Apparently medical superglue is essentially CA but it's a different formulation to reduce how much it kills the skin where it sticks. It also doesn't have a multitude of contaminants from manufacturing.