Benefits of Low Trauma Acrylic Adhesives: Enhancing Patient Care & Provider Efficiency
Advances in healthcare and medical devices improve both patient comfort and clinical efficacy. One seemingly simple component of care – choosing skin contact adhesives – can greatly enhance or hinder medical outcomes. Thus, selecting the right materials, especially in the converting process, often becomes a major challenge for healthcare providers.
Choosing the ideal skin adhesive for medical applications does not just consider the adhesion. For instance, acrylics are used extensively for a number of key benefits including long, activewear time and high moisture vapor transmission rates (MVTRs), but traditionally for open wounds or for patients with delicate skin, polyurethane and silicone skin-contact adhesives may suit skin fixation.
With acrylics being celebrated for strength, durability, and cost-effectiveness, and silicone recognized for gentle removal and flexibility, there has been an either/or challenge.
But what if there was a middle ground that could provide the benefits of both?
Enter Low Trauma Acrylic Adhesives from Polymer Science. As a leading designer and manufacturer of skin contact adhesives, Polymer Science strives to innovate and deliver materials to advance patient care, comfort, and long-term outcomes.
The Rise of Low Trauma Acrylic Adhesives
The search for reliable medical-grade adhesives dates back at least to the mid-19th century when Dr. Horace Day developed pressure adhesive tapes with rubber and cloth. Adhesives including acrylics have been a staple in the healthcare industry. Adhesives are essential to applying and securing devices on the skin.
The well-documented limitations of adhesives are the risk of causing trauma upon removal. From minor irritation to the greater risk of Medical Adhesive Related Skin Injuries (MARSI), the use of medical-grade adhesives carries great benefits and inherent risks.
MARSI refers to a variety of skin complications that arise from the side effects or removal of adhesive products on the skin. These injuries can range from skin stripping, blisters, and irritations to more severe reactions like allergic responses. MARSI can occur when adhesive medical products, such as tapes, dressings, or external devices, are not properly selected, applied, or removed, especially from areas with delicate or compromised skin. The prevention of MARSI is crucial as it can lead to increased patient discomfort, prolonged healing times, and potential infections.
Silicone gel adhesives are widely used for more delicate skin adhesive applications. Silicone gel adhesives, like Polymer Science’s bilaminate gels, silicone trilaminate gels, and silicone perforated trilaminate gels, offer the characteristics of being repositionable, hydrophobic, hyperallergic and the non-organic design is resistant to bacterial growth. However, silicone gel adhesives often increase the cost of adhesives.
Recognizing these challenges, Polymer Science innovators have been focusing on developing acrylic-based adhesives that allow for a more economical option in pain-free removal adhesives. Low trauma acrylic adhesives utilize an innovative concept that gives our customers flexibility using a skin contact adhesive that behaves similarly to a silicone gel adhesive promoting atraumatic removal with acrylate-based raw materials. This results in an adhesive that can firmly hold medical devices in place while ensuring easy removal and promoting better comfort for patients.
Low Trauma Acrylic Adhesives Benefits
Just like silicones, low-trauma acrylic adhesives ensure an atraumatic removal from the skin, reducing the risk of tearing or other injuries.
These low-trauma acrylics possess additional characteristics for patients such as:
- Highly Breathable
- Good Adhesion to the Skin
- Conformability to Skin Surface
- No Residue Upon Removal
- Hypoallergenic
- Biocompatibility to the Skin
As well as elevating care for patients, low-trauma acrylic adhesives afford manufacturers and healthcare providers additional benefits. Low-trauma acrylics offer a budget-friendly solution without compromising on quality or patient comfort.
This means low-trauma acrylics can be used across a broad range of applications where the cost of silicone adhesives may be prohibitive. By minimizing skin injuries and irritation, providers can ensure better patient outcomes and reduce complications related to the removal of alternative adhesives like traditional acrylics.
Selecting the right adhesive is a balancing act, requiring providers to weigh the benefits against potential drawbacks. With the introduction of low trauma acrylic adhesives, the scales are now tipping toward an optimal solution that caters to both patient needs and economic demands.
As the medical industry continues to innovate, it’s solutions like these that reinforce the industry’s commitment to patient-centric care. For manufacturers, designers, and engineers, Polymer Science is delivering smarter and more innovative solutions in skin-contact tapes, coatings, and adhesives. Contact our team to learn how we can help your project.