Crazy Glue

beanbag

beanbag

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I think this is the right sub-forum for this question.

I've heard of people using Crazy Glue to treat cuts. I was thinking of trying it on a two day old cut on my finger where the skin keeps separating, but the warnings on the label say it is an irritant and can burn.:confused:

Is it really o.k. to use? Are there any techniques I should know about?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Last edited:
beanbag said:
I think this is the right sub-forum for this question.

I've heard of people using Crazy Glue to treat cuts. I was thinking of try it on a two day old cut on my finger where the skin keeps separating, but the warnings on the label say it is an irritant and can burn.:confused:

Is it really o.k. to use? Are there any techniques I should know about?

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...

Crazy Glue is toxic. There is a people safe version called Dermaond.
 
I would say use the right product for the job.

I'll be packing both of those into my kit after I make a trip to the local drug store in the next 2 days to get the "safe for humans" kind.

I've used super glue before in that manner... it didn't hold the cut closed well, even though it adhered two of my fingers together in the process... sheesh!
 
I have used Crazy Glue on deep lacerations that probably needed sutures. It worked well and prevented a trip to the ER. I would consider it a vital asset to any survival bag. Yes, it is a skin irritant, but so is alcolol, Betadyne and lots of other stuff. Bottom line, it works in a pinch and is way easier than trying to place sutures in yourself.
 
You can use it in an emergency if you don't have the "first aid kind" If you are looking to buy something buy the first aid version. I used it a lot on my son when he was doing MMA training. He would get these like rug burn type patches on knees and elbows from the wrestling mats. Be warned it stings like a mofo.
 
Thanks for the replies and advice.:thumbup:

Since I'm not currently in a survival situation, I'm going to head on down to the drug store to get the "people safe" form of Crazy Glue.

I will report back on the efficacy of this product/solution later.
 
I use superglue for cuts in the field. Fast and stops me from bleeding all over everything. Plus, germs/bacteria can't survive in the stuff. A simple first aid kit for me: Duct tape, bandanna and super glue, just stuff to help stop bleeding. Longer and deeper trips require more.
 
My brother is a carpenter and has been using superglue since I can remember for cuts. Thinking back, those areas he glued are raised, bump like. His fingers look knotty!
 
my ear was once re-attached to my head using that medical crazy glue and my dad is a carpenter and uses the stuff all the time on small cuts
 
I've used regular crazy(super) glue on cuts before. I've never had a problem with it burning or anything. I mostly use it on the type of cuts that leave a flap of skin that keeps getting caught on stuff.
 
I've used the crazy glue a few times, but I don't like dealing with the cleanup later. Whenever possible, I'll use a few of those little adhesive suture thingies, not quite as effective, but easier to properly dress later in my experience
 
Apparently it was originally designed as liquid sutures (or so I've heard from lots of uninformed experts on the WWW). It is definitely toxic, so keep that in mind.

Climbers use superglue all the time for flappers. It stings really really bad, but it works and it allows you to carry on with whatever you're doing. Crazy glue makes little tiny tubes (comes 5 in a box) that I like because once I open superglue it usually glues itself shut for me so it becomes a one time use thing. The little tiny ones are more than enough for one or 2 applications usually, and you just toss whatever is left. Smaller, lighter, less wasteful (although probably more expensive).

Dermabond is great, but prohibitively expensive.
 
Superglue was not designed as "liquid sutures". It was a byproduct of research looking to create an optically clear plastic for use on aircraft.

It's a poor choice for deep wounds, primarily due to the risk of infection.

that said, it does work fairly well for tagging down little superficial cuts, but I wouldn't use it on anything that has penetrated through the dermis.

Dermabond doesn't work all that well, either, for deep cuts (most things that dermabond will close w/o a deep layer of sutures will heal with just a bandaid or steristrips).
 
As long as Flotsam isn't another WWW expert I stand corrected by Flotsam about the early medical use of super glue.

I've used Dermabond and it's great for scalp and other peel back wounds, but I wouldn't use it for much else. As Flotsam stated it's best to use on superficial wounds.

I've also scored a bunch of the vet version of Dermabond before from a vet friend of mine and again it worked great for flappers.

Deep wounds should not be sutured or glued shut in the field. If it's a large wound I would pack the wound with saline or 10% PI solution soaked gauze and then cover the wound with more gauze. This allows a wound to properly heal from the inside out, and greatly reduces chance of infection.

I have closed wounds with Steristrips and duct tape butterfly bandages around town when I wanted to avoid sutures and having a large open wound was inconvenient, but most external sutures are simply for aesthetic reasons (to reduce scarring).

For me personally, I wouldn't bother with sutures in any of my kits and I would reserve glues for flapper-type wounds.
 
Dermaond is crazy expensive and only has a two year shelf life. I keep it in my blow out kit just in case but rarely use it. Crazy Glue is used but has caused some folks to get minor to severe irritations and some to get an infection.

Steri Strips might be a better non-emergency alternative if you do not need sutures.
 
I don't know how correct it is to use Super Glue on cuts but I have done it for quite some time and have found it to be very effective. It's definitely much better than using just a band-aid for cuts. I'm a professional boatbuilder by trade and have gotten a few nasty cuts over the years. The ones that haven't been too deep have all been closed with super glue with good results. I'm not going to recommend it as I don't know the wisdom of using it. But I will say that it's worked extremely well for me.
 
I too have used it for smaller wounds w/ no ill effects- I always make a spot for a small tube in my repair kit- great for small holes/tears in equipment

Scotch makes a tiny single use tube that is small enough you can easily fit a tube or two into almost any kit
 
I keep a bottle of crazy glue with me daily. I flip balisongs too, and have successfully closed many, pretty nasty cuts with them. I will post a link to one of my more graphic cuts that I used glue to close, NOT FOR THE WEARY!!!!!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=679949
(The 12 hr healed results are at the bottom of the page)

I have found that it will close a nasty cut, but I always clean the cut thoroughly first. If the bleeding is really bad, I will put the glue on my pointer finger, pinch the wound together, and spread the glue over the wound (DO NOT GET IT INSIDE THE WOUND!!!). It will be messy, as blood and glue tend to mix and harden fast. If you get glue into the wound, it will harden and feel like little shards of glass in your skin, not pleasant. But usually the glue will fall off in a matter of hours, so I reclean the wound, and properly bandage it thereafter. It has worked a number of times, and if you use it correctly, has little ill effect.


To give a temporary bleeding solution if you dont think that direct pressure just won't work, especially in the field/woods, its convienent size and ability to work well in a jam, its not a bad carry option.
 
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