Krazy Glue To The Rescue?

Posting Date: 08/14/2000

Q: My friend works as a cook in a Mexican restaurant. The other day he cut the tip of his finger pretty badly. No matter what he tried he couldn't stop the bleeding.

He went to an urgent care center where they put in a few stitches and sealed the cut with Krazy Glue. I couldn't believe it, but he insisted that they used the same tube you can buy at the hardware store.

Is this possible? If doctors use it for a bad cut, couldn't I use it for a nick or paper cut?

A: For years, dermatologists and urgent care physicians have been using instant glues to close minor cuts. Products like Krazy Glue contain cyanoacrylate. They are not intended for medical use, and the company that makes Krazy Glue points out that the label warns against contact with skin, since it might be irritating.

But physicians have learned that sealing a small wound like a paper cut or a crack stops the pain and helps it heal.

An FDA-approved product called Dermabond is somewhat similar to Krazy Glue, but more flexible and tested for medical use. It is also a lot more expensive: $20 per ounce, by prescription, while the hardware version sells for around $2.

To try this on a small cut, put just a tiny bit of glue over the wound and hold the edges closed for about a minute. Be careful that nothing?including your fingers?touches the glued spot during that time, or you could end up with a bigger problem.

If you do need to get instant glue off your fingers, nail polish remover or acetone should do the job.

Email this page  Printer Friendly Bookmark this page