Glue for broken skin or fingernails

[Jim Hawkins]

Years ago Nu Skin had a glue-like substance you could use
to seal skin cuts or broken fingernails.
I used to use a glue called Durofix to do the same job, but
that too is no longer available.
Is there anything available these days that's safe to use on
skin or fingernails ?

Jim Hawkins

[Artic]

Jim Hawkins scribbled...

Goggle liquid plaster

[The Natural Philosopher]

superglue

originally developed as a fast suture device

Durofix was, more or less, 'balsa cement' or 'clear nail varnish' in
general properties - a dissolved (cellulose?) plastic in an organic
solvent.

--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

[chris French]

In message <l5tvns$fvf$2...@news.albasani.net>, The Natural Philosopher
<t...@invalid.invalid> writes

>On 12/11/13 19:19, Jim Hawkins wrote:
>> Years ago Nu Skin had a glue-like substance you could use
>> to seal skin cuts or broken fingernails.
>> I used to use a glue called Durofix to do the same job, but
>> that too is no longer available.
>> Is there anything available these days that's safe to use on
>> skin or fingernails ?
>>
>> Jim Hawkins
>>
>>
>>
>superglue
>
>originally developed as a fast suture device
>

Sort of, the story I've read, is that it was first developed by Kodak(as
is the way, whilst looking for material for something else) in the late
50's as a glue, taken up by the military in Vietnam in the '60's


It's not a good idea to use normal Superglue for skin under normal
circumstances. So my surgeon wife tells me.

Normally superglues are Methyl Cyanoacrylate, this gives the strongest
bonds, but irritates the skin, dries rigid, heat is produced on curing
(though probably not a problem on this scale). This leads to more
scarring with the healed wound.

Medical glues are typically Octyl Cyanoacrylate - this has a weaker
bond, but is more flexible and less irritant so you get better healing,
with less scarring
--
Chris French

[Bernard Peek]

On 12/11/13 19:19, Jim Hawkins wrote:

Gosh that takes me back. Nu Skin was one of the products I was
responsible for at Beechams. It was a collodion type product and very
flammable. I didn't manage to find a non-flammable equivalent.

Cyanoacrylate glues are used in surgery today but I suspect that they
don't use quite the same type as is used as Superglue. Superglue will
form a protective coating over a wound. Initially it is soft and pliable
and flexes with the skin. But it very rapidly polymerises further and
becomes brittle.

You could try this:

http://www.amazon.com/Surgical-Veterinary-Adhesive-Twist-Cap-Applicators/dp/B0026MHVC0

But note that it is not approved for human use. You might well be able
to find something more suitable. Google for surgical glue or surgical
adhesive.



--
Bernard Peek
b...@shrdlu.com

[Andy Burns]

Bernard Peek wrote:

> You could try this:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Surgical-Veterinary-Adhesive-Twist-Cap-Applicators/dp/B0026MHVC0
>
> But note that it is not approved for human use. You might well be able
> to find something more suitable. Google for surgical glue or surgical
> adhesive.

But expect to double the dollar price and add a zero to get the sterling
price for the human appoved version ...

[polygonum]

Interesting. I know that some veterinary products are actually identical
to human - but it is different when you have to decide for yourself!

The "real thing" is available here:

http://www.medisave.co.uk/dermabond-propen-6-ampoules-per-box-p-7617.html

But what a price!

--
Rod

[The Natural Philosopher]

On 12/11/13 20:52, Bernard Peek wrote:
> On 12/11/13 19:19, Jim Hawkins wrote:
>> Years ago Nu Skin had a glue-like substance you could use
>> to seal skin cuts or broken fingernails.
>> I used to use a glue called Durofix to do the same job, but
>> that too is no longer available.
>> Is there anything available these days that's safe to use on
>> skin or fingernails ?
>
> Gosh that takes me back. Nu Skin was one of the products I was
> responsible for at Beechams. It was a collodion type product and very
> flammable. I didn't manage to find a non-flammable equivalent.
>
> Cyanoacrylate glues are used in surgery today but I suspect that they
> don't use quite the same type as is used as Superglue. Superglue will
> form a protective coating over a wound. Initially it is soft and pliable
> and flexes with the skin. But it very rapidly polymerises further and
> becomes brittle.
>

when slitting myself open witha scalpel carving model planes a bit of
superglue and tissue serves extremely well and lasta hours.


Stings mind you.

> You could try this:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Surgical-Veterinary-Adhesive-Twist-Cap-Applicators/dp/B0026MHVC0
>
>
> But note that it is not approved for human use. You might well be able
> to find something more suitable. Google for surgical glue or surgical
> adhesive.
>
>
>


--

[fred]

In article <7Xc07DTj...@blackhole.familyfrench.co.uk>, chris French
<newspos...@familyfrench.co.uk> writes

>
>It's not a good idea to use normal Superglue for skin under normal
>circumstances. So my surgeon wife tells me.
>
>Normally superglues are Methyl Cyanoacrylate, this gives the strongest
>bonds, but irritates the skin, dries rigid, heat is produced on curing
>(though probably not a problem on this scale). This leads to more
>scarring with the healed wound.
>
>Medical glues are typically Octyl Cyanoacrylate - this has a weaker
>bond, but is more flexible and less irritant so you get better healing,
>with less scarring

My first thought would be the risk of contaminating the wet (healing)
surfaces of the wound during application meaning that they would never
heal. That could mean that expert application on a pinched closed wound
would be ok but having it in a battlefield medipack for an unqualified
grunt to squirt all over an unsuitable wound before closing could end in
disaster.
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

[Martin Warby]

I seem to recall back in 2004 a plastic surgeon used cough syrup as a skin glue on me, certainly helped the dressing to stay on

Martin

[Harry Bloomfield]

Jim Hawkins laid this down on his screen :

Superglue, that is the job it was developed for.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[soup]

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 12/11/13 19:19, Jim Hawkins wrote:

>> Is there anything available these days that's safe to use on
>> skin or fingernails ?

> superglue
> originally developed as a fast suture device

I thought that too but it wasn't(ish).
It is(was?) however used like that [1].
Medical CA is formulated slightly differently to household CA so
Superglue™ etc should not be used for wound closing.

Wikipedia has:-
The original cyanoacrylates (the chemical name for the glue) were
discovered in 1942 in a search for materials to make clear plastic gun
sights during World War II, when a team of scientists headed by Harry
Wesley Coover Jr. stumbled upon a formulation that stuck to everything
that it came in contact with.
Whilst the straight dope says this is a mix of fact and fiction.

[1] I remember myself and mum's boyfriend, both drunk as skunks. John[2]
had sliced his finger, I told him about CA initially being used in
place of stitches. So he told me to go ahead (although a stone mason
and as 'hard as nails' he didn't like going to the doctor's) so there we
were, both reeling, and me getting CA everywhere trapping lots of crap
in his wound. Two days later he had to go to hospital as the finger had
blown up to twice its normal size with infection, hospital had a V hard
time; opening the wound to let the crap out, draining the wound, then
stitching him back up. So a job which should have been ten minutes and
a stitch cost hours and half a dozen stitches because I had heard a
half truth and believed, in my drunken state, that I knew what I was
doing.


[2] Mum's bf ( I was too old to call him uncle John.). Mum and Dad were
divorced when I was 10 was, at the time of this tale, mid twenties.

[Apellation Controlee]

If you need a fingernail repair, going to a nail bar for an acrylic
job is a good option.
A couple of years ago I had a nail falling apart as a result of a
hammer blow and the place I went to didn't even charge me. The nail
held together fine as the damaged part grew out, and they even did an
interim patch for me, again at no charge.

[mogga]

On Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:19:14 -0000, "Jim Hawkins"
<jimha...@manx.net> wrote:

Germolene New Skin - I think we have this one. It hurts like mad when
you put it on.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

[D.M.Chapman]

In article <7Xc07DTj...@blackhole.familyfrench.co.uk>,

chris French <newsrep...@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote:
>
>Normally superglues are Methyl Cyanoacrylate, this gives the strongest
>bonds, but irritates the skin, dries rigid, heat is produced on curing
>(though probably not a problem on this scale). This leads to more
>scarring with the healed wound.
>
>Medical glues are typically Octyl Cyanoacrylate - this has a weaker
>bond, but is more flexible and less irritant so you get better healing,
>with less scarring

When I was attacked by a loft ladder and sliced my nose open (Ob d-i-y - I
was trying to work out why the house was freezing at 6am and the boiler is
in the loft) A&E glued the flappy bit up.

They claimed it was superglue, and it definately smelt like it.

The nurses (this was early sunday AM, they had had a tough saturday night
with the drunks etc) found it all very amusing. I still remember the "try not
to breath the superglue fumes" comment while they poked two tubes of the
stuff up my nose.

Bloody stings as well! Jeeez, makes my eyes water just remembering it!

As for being more flexible and less scarring I'm not convinced! My entire
nose was a solid lump of glue for a couple of days. Did give amazingly
satifying scabs to pick though ;-)

http://twitpic.com/hf8jw was after they had finished. The white bit was
a lump of solid glue :-)

Darren

[fred]

In article <l60nan$285$1...@dont-email.me>, D.M.Chapman
<d...@auk.kent.ac.uk> writes

>
>The nurses (this was early sunday AM, they had had a tough saturday night
>with the drunks etc) found it all very amusing. I still remember the "try not
>to breath the superglue fumes" comment while they poked two tubes of the
>stuff up my nose.
>
>Bloody stings as well! Jeeez, makes my eyes water just remembering it!
>
>As for being more flexible and less scarring I'm not convinced! My entire
>nose was a solid lump of glue for a couple of days. Did give amazingly
>satifying scabs to pick though ;-)
>
>http://twitpic.com/hf8jw was after they had finished. The white bit was
>a lump of solid glue :-)
>

Oooooow, I'll take your word there was a flappy bit, just looks like
mush from the pic. Scanned left and right but couldn't see the after
pic, ok now?

Sorry but yes, I did laugh.

[Sam Plusnet]

In article <s1o6891deagcd41gt...@4ax.com>,
d...@NOSPAMPLEASEmogga.com says...

"Germolene New Skin Liquid Plaster" it says on this 'ere bottle.

A fiver for 20ml.

Not as expensive as printer ink, but it ain't cheap.

I use it on cuts & grazes on my hands, since all that hand-washing stops
them from healing up as quickly as I would like.

Yes it does sting.

--
Sam

[Mike Lane]

You need different products for skin and nails, surely? For skin damage
Savlon do a 'Spray Plaster' which flexes with the skin and lasts several
days. It's quite effective (and waterproof), I find.

For nail glue I go to the girlie 'Nail Care' aisle in Boots. I have something
called 'Diamond Strength Nail Hardener' at the moment. It's easy to use
(comes with a little brush) and doesn't seem to dry up in the container like
some of the others.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com

[Mike Lane]

Jim Hawkins wrote on Nov 12, 2013:

[Mike Lane]

Jim Hawkins wrote on Nov 12, 2013:

[Richard Tobin]

In article <befio6...@mid.individual.net>,

Bernard Peek <b...@shrdlu.com> wrote:

>Gosh that takes me back. Nu Skin was one of the products I was
>responsible for at Beechams.

Was that the one whose ingredients included "human placenta extract"?

-- Richard

[Mike Lane]

Jim Hawkins wrote on Nov 12, 2013:

[John Williamson]

Mike Lane wrote:
> You need different products for skin and nails, surely? For skin damage
> Savlon do a 'Spray Plaster' which flexes with the skin and lasts several
> days. It's quite effective (and waterproof), I find.
>
> For nail glue I go to the girlie 'Nail Care' aisle in Boots. I have something
> called 'Diamond Strength Nail Hardener' at the moment. It's easy to use
> (comes with a little brush) and doesn't seem to dry up in the container like
> some of the others.
>

There seems to be an echo in here. That's the fourth time I've seen that
post.....

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[Mike Lane]

Yes, sorry about that!

There was something up with my server and it refused to send anything. I
clicked several times, as one does, and it obviously queued the attempts up
and sent them all.