18+ Pros and Cons of Skin Glue (Explained)

Closure of wounds is most crucial for the healing of the wound and to produce an acceptable cosmetic result. Skin glues are a safe and effective method to close the selected wounds. They are also cost-effective and help to prevent infection. 

Traditionally sutures and adhesive tapes have been used, but with the introduction of skin glue, closure of wounds has become much easier and hassle-free. They provide a painless application that enhances rapid wound closure and reduces the risk which comes with using needle sticks. This is highly effective in the case of children and also remnants of any marking are almost nil. 

Benefits of using Skin GlueDrawbacks of using Skin Glue
It is a painless procedureChances of wound reopening
Less time consumingNot sufficient enough
High levels of patient satisfactionNot suitable for all types of wounds
Cost effectiveNeeds expert demonstration

Advantages of using Skin Glue

  • It is a painless procedure

In the earlier times, along with the operations came the aspect of the closing the wounds with the help of needles. The procedure was very much painful especially when the stitches had to be opened. But with the use of skin glue, patients are no longer required to undergo such trauma. Though some have been reported to have experienced mild heat sensation but no actual pain have been recorded.

Also, it needs a mention here that along with being painless the wound heals also without any chance of getting any infection. Chances are rare that would closure carried out with skin glue will get any infection. 

  • Less time consuming

Skin glues take much lesser time healing any wound. Here the procedure time reduced and the healing is done faster. Studies have concluded that the time of the actual would repair in all settings was less than the formal suturing. In most of the cases where children are having sutures, sedation becomes very much needed. But this does not stand true in case of skin glue. They are much hassle free and can be delivered without much elaboration. 

  • High levels of patient satisfaction

It has been observed that patients all over the world are now in favor of skin glue rather than the more traditional methods. There are a number of reasons why this technique is gaining momentum all around. It is a much painless method, and especially for children, it becomes the saving grace.

Children are mostly quite restless in nature and wound closure with needles might only add to their misery. Moreover, very minimal levels of wound care measures are needed to be maintained and so it can be easily maintained without taking many precautions. And lastly, there is no need for any follow-up or suture removal which is needed in the other more formal techniques. 

  • Cost-effective

It is true that skin glues are expensive. But when compared with the equipment and labor costs along with the hassles of all the follow-up procedures for the suture removal, the overall cost is found to be equivalent to the suture method. Also, there are no chances of needle stick injury with skin glues. 

Drawbacks of using Skin Glue

  • Chances of wound reopening

It has been found that the chances of would getting reopened with the application of skin glue are much higher than that of sutures. This happens to be one of the most traumatic demerits that skin glue can have.

There are plenty of reasons that might constitute the cause of this happening like poor technique, incorrect wound selection but the most important reason is considered to be the breakage of bonds or sloughing from the skin surface. Proper care should be taken for the right application of the skin glue so that these problems can be avoided. 

  • Not sufficient enough

Many are of the view that skin glues are not adequate enough for wound coverage and closure. For people who lead a very active life and especially have been found to have complained about the said issue.

They feel that there is a higher chance that the wound might breakdown. Many a time this leads many patients to go for the more traditional methods of sutures and needles. Also, it must be kept in mind that many people might be allergic to these glues as they contain cyanoacrylate or residual formaldehyde. 

  • Not suitable for all types of wounds

Sutures are suitable for dealing with any type of wound. But this cannot be said about using skin glue. There are certain wounds that cannot be treated with skin glue-like deeper wounds that require sutures to approximate the skin edges, contaminated wounds from animal or human bites, crushed or infected wounds, the skin over joints or other high tension areas, wounds which cross mucocutaneous borders, high friction areas such as perineum, buttocks, high moisture areas, wounds that are over 12 years old. 

  • Needs expert demonstration

The proper application of skin glue is a very crucial aspect and it needs to be done with utmost care and precision. The person undertaking the technique needs to be very meticulous in his approach as any discrepancy would result in breaking open of the wound again. 

In recent times many have resorted to using skin glue as a wound closure method. They tend to leave very minimal scares and do come with itching hazards like that of the stitches. The recovery time is much quicker and it is obviously easier to glue than to stitch a wound.

The probability of getting infected in these cases is also lesser than using stitches. Moreover, one can about the follow-up routine for suture removals in case of skin glue and almost get back to their normal lives and routines. This method of wound closures become quite handy and hassle-free when applied in case where children are involved. 

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