P-DERM® Hydrogel Adhesives

More suitable than other applications, our P-DERM® hydrogel adhesives can be found in trauma care. These hydrogels offer instantaneous tack, good converting properties and retain adhesion when exposed to perspiration. P-DERM® hydrogels adhere even when skin is soiled or moist as is often found in the case of emergency medical services (EMS) and military emergency care.

Hydrogels are similar to natural living body tissues with high water content, softness, super absorbency and biocompatibility. These qualities suit many medical applications. While not as immediately atraumatic as a silicone gel adhesive, hydrogels absorb moisture from the skin and become more atraumatic during extended wear. These qualities are also beneficial in moist wound dressings and burn care. 

Often used for fixation to the body, hydrogels are designed for long-term wear of up to 7 days. Hydrogels can be removed from the skin without leaving residue. Skin contact applications including transdermal drug delivery, blister prevention and device fixation benefits from extended wear and atraumatic removal qualities of hydrogels. 

Polymer Science P-DERM® products include hydrogels, hydrogel bilaminates and hydrogel trilaminates in various thicknesses. Water content in hydrogels ranges from 30-50% to suit the specific application and are available with an embedded PET mesh scrim. All Polymer Science hydrogel adhesives are manufactured in the USA. Our flexible manufacturing process allows us to optimize the width and thickness of our hydrogel adhesives while also promoting batch prototyping and lower minimum order quantities. Polymer Science is capable of loading cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical or antimicrobials into the hydrogel.  Hydrogels are compatible with multiple sterilization methods including gamma and ethylene oxide. Sterilization has minimal impact on performance of the hydrogel. 

General Fixation

Hydrogels are constructed with a network of cross-linked polymers and water molecules. The characteristics of softness, porousness and good adhesion are applicable for general fixation throughout the medical industry. P-DERM® hydrogels may benefit any company manufacturing medical products that require fixation.

Household Hygiene Products and Blister Care

Hydrogels are used in many household products for skin contact including cosmetics and wound dressings. Hydrogels are used in bandages, blister prevention and treatment dressings for everyday applications and advanced medical treatments.

Moist Wound Dressings

Hydrogel dressings are three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymers. P-DERM® hydrogels, bilaminates and trilaminates are beneficial in moist wound dressings. Hydrogels do not irritate tissue and keep wounds moist. Hydrogel dressings help to keep wounds clean and facilitate autolytic debridement. Hydrogels promote regenerations by through granulation and epithelialization.

Minor Burn Care

High water content hydrogels are efficient for treating burns. Hydrogels soothe wounded skin, providing pain relief and stimulating an environment for healing. P-DERM® hydrogels are designed for extended skin contact and are painless upon removal.

Transdermal Drug Delivery

Transdermal drug delivery is an alternative to oral and hypodermic injections. Polymer Science is capable of loading cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical or antimicrobials into the hydrogel. P-DERM® Hydrogels prove to be biocompatible with active ingredients that will be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. Among the advantages, hydrogels are biocompatible and can be degraded. As patches and other transdermal drug delivery designs advance, Polymer Science helps many manufacturers find ideal hydrogels for their application.

Active and Passive Wearable Devices

Wearable devices help advance personalized medicine. P-DERM® Hydrogels are used in many current active and passive wearable devices. New innovations are greatly benefited by key characteristics of hydrogels. Hydrogels are conformable, moisturized and function as a tissue-like surface between wearable devices and human skin. For companies working on the future of wearable devices, the team at Polymer Science offers experience in hydrogels.