# super glue as a plaster



## doctor Bob (11 Oct 2012)

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?


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## paulm (11 Oct 2012)

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


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## Elapid (11 Oct 2012)

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.


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## Kalimna (11 Oct 2012)

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


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## Karl (11 Oct 2012)

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.


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## Racers (11 Oct 2012)

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


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## Karl (11 Oct 2012)

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

Cheers

Karl


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## mailee (11 Oct 2012)

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.


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## Lons (11 Oct 2012)

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.


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## JakeS (11 Oct 2012)

Lons":3t9u6gbk said:


> 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.


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## AndyT (12 Oct 2012)

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.


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## speeder1987 (12 Oct 2012)

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


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Oct 2012)

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


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## Racers (12 Oct 2012)

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


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## bexupnorth (12 Oct 2012)

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.


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Oct 2012)

Racers":5bmpj54l said:


> 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.


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## Greedo (13 Oct 2012)

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?


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## Phil Pascoe (13 Oct 2012)

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


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## Lons (13 Oct 2012)

phil.p":3s4y1d0i said:


> 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


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## wobblycogs (14 Oct 2012)

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.


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## Richard S (14 Oct 2012)

An old friend of mine used to stick his crowned tooth back on with it, until someone said they thought it might be carcenogenic! I too thought it was developed for treating wounds in the 'Nam, just shows what I know!!


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## NazNomad (23 Oct 2016)

To revive an old thread, I just CA'd a huge crack in my thumb. So far so good.


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## esox20 (23 Oct 2016)

I am a paramedic and use medical superglue to close wounds on patients...how this differs from normal ca glue i do not know, but is very effective !


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## skipdiver (23 Oct 2016)

I've got a can of that spray on plaster stuff. Only used it once and that was enough; it stung like hell. Been using superglue for years after a band i went to see posted a photo of the bass players finger, which was badly cut but had been glued back together to get him through the gigs. Playing bass every night kept opening up the wound and he could only get through the tour by liberal use of superglue every night. Thought he was taking the mick, so i looked up it's use and was surprised to see he wasn't fibbing. Worked for a double glazing firm at the time and we had it by the boxful in the van, which was handy. I have to buy the stuff now.


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Oct 2016)

NazNomad":rawl1s33 said:


> To revive an old thread, I just CA'd a huge crack in my thumb. So far so good.


Go over it again before it weakens, not after it weakens.


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## NazNomad (23 Oct 2016)

Mine was Poundland CA, but as it's endorsed by the Doctor of Dodgy DIY, Tommy Walsh, it must be good for you, right?


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Oct 2016)

Yeah - Oak Furniture Land use it by the tanker.


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## NazNomad (24 Oct 2016)

:-D :-D

Well, it's still together this morning, I'll test it with a 70m wire fencing job later.


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## Rorschach (24 Oct 2016)

Use it regularly to seal cuts etc but probably the best use is for repairing split nails, keeps it together long enough to grow out. The ladies in the family find this especially useful, it glue the split portion back down, use a fine file to tidy up the join and then they put on some nail varnish, the repair is almost invisible.


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## NazNomad (24 Oct 2016)

esox20":3fhxoxis said:


> ...how this differs from normal ca glue i do not know, but is very effective !



1.. Non-medical superglues often utilize solvents that are toxic to human tissue, such as methanol, hence the common complaint of "burning" or irritation reported by those who use it on wounds.
2.. The butyl, isobutyl and octyl esters used in medical-grade superglues have been reported to have bacteriostatic properties.
3.. The medical-grade superglues apparently have less of an exothermic reaction, reducing the chances of heat damage to tissue?
4.. Cost. Medical CA is going to be one use per 'tube', whereas the stuff in your shed can be used over and over again. :-D


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