The Biomechanics of Skin Protectants

Introduction: The “super glues” have been used medically for lacerations and other injuries. Newer formulations have been developed with properties which enable these adhesives to be used as a protective layer for the skin. These new layers are expected to affect the coefficient of friction between the skin and other surfaces as well as to serve as a “stent” to further strengthen the skin and protect it from sheer stress induced tears.

Materials and Methods: Two commercially available skin protectants were chosen to model and test variations in the coefficient of friction of the surface and the added resilience to sheer stress. One of these products creates a layer of pure cyanoacrylates (pure), while the other includes an inert polymer (mixed). Fragile gels with 1) nothing, 2) pure cyanoacrylates, or 3) mixed polymers were subjected to strain using a custom device. The strain at failure and average strain mitigation ratio were analyzed and compared under 3 stress loads.

Results:  Under the 3 different loads tested, the control tore at the middle and highest pressures, the mixed product tore at all 3 pressure levels, and the pure product did not tear at all.  In a comparison of the strain buffering prior to tearing, the non-treated gels buffered 93%, 61%, and 45% of the strain input (from lowest to highest pressure load). The mixed polymer buffered (95%, 69%, and 54%) and the pure cyanoacrylate buffered (99%, 95%, and 93%).

Conclusions: The pure product protected against tearing and reduced the in tissue strain the most.  The mixed polymers reduced more stain than the control, but it also tore at a lower strain input. This latter fact is likely due to the gel used, and not the mixed product.  Additional testing is on-going.