# Super glue instead of stitches



## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

So at midnight tonight me and my buddy decided to build a deer rack and I ended up cutting my thumb pretty good and was wondering if anyone on here has used super glue instead of stitchs? I am trying it because I do not have insurance but in a SHTF situation stitchs from a doc might not be an option.

The cut is on the top knuckle of my thumb and was deep enough that when I pulled it open I could clearly see the bone. It did not bleed much at all but still almost made my weak stomached friend pass out. I super glued and butterfly bandaged it back together, How well will the super glue hold?


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## ghmerrill (Feb 22, 2011)

So so. You will have to re glue as it pulls apart, or if you get your hands too wet. I use super glue all the time, and have done so on some pretty nasty wounds.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Be sure to keep neosporine on it so it will help with the germs and less scaring.


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

splint your thumb to keep from bending and having it pull apart


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Since the bone was showing, I do so hope you used some Betadine or Raw Honey "inside" that wound before you closed it with that glue.


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## mothernature (Aug 22, 2010)

I keep a suture kit with me. I get them at my local vet supply! I never had to stitch myself, but I have stitched DH's hand and a pony's knee! Be prepared!!


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

mothernature said:


> I keep a suture kit with me. I get them at my local vet supply! I never had to stitch myself, but I have stitched DH's hand and a pony's knee! Be prepared!!


:shocked: both stood still while you sutured ? How's you get them to ?


~~ pelenaka ~~


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## SillyMe (Mar 23, 2011)

I keep several tubes of super glue in every first aide kit we have. I have used it successfully on several deep wounds. I saved a dogs life a few years ago with super glue when her leg was almost torn completely off by a truck. It always helps to use good surgical tape to cover the wounds to protect the glue job and to relieve any stress on the glue joint.


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## commonsense (Jun 1, 2008)

I use superglue for cuts--works so well! I superglued a kitten who was stepped on by a cow; she had a cut on the inside of her upper front leg. It was extremely clean, and I glued it so there would be an area that would allow drainage. She healed up completely and quickly. The important thing with the kitten was the cleanliness of the wound. It's no good to trap dirt inside to fester.


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

Pelenaka said:


> :shocked: both stood still while you sutured ? How's you get them to ?
> 
> 
> ~~ pelenaka ~~


Supply person once bought some bargain gas hose when I was driving gas tanker. went to unhook hose one day and it being super stiff and in a bind, I had to really yank on it to get it loose. Welp the end of it hit me just below my eye onna cheekbone. had to go hospital and git it sewed up. doctor said it was to close to my eye to give anethsetic so I just gritted my teeth and let him sew it up. You can do it if you make up your mind that you will.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

That's what super glue was originally developed for--to replace sutures. Our vet often will use it, so do many Dr's. With a cut that deep be really careful you don't get an infection.


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## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks, last night i put a butterfly bandage on it and then a drop of clue on each side. It was split back open when I woke up so I just used glue and it is holding good now.

It was one of those things where I knew I was going to get hurt doing it the way I was but did it anyway. If I would have clamped the metal in the drill press instaed of trying to hold it I would have been fine. The bit twisted the metal out of my hand and it spun around and sliced me. It is a reall clean cut, almost looks like a razor blade cut so it layed back together nicely.

My girlfriend got me a book called herbal antibiotics and it says eating 3-6 cloves of garlic a a day will keep anything from getting infected so I might try that and see how it works


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## mothernature (Aug 22, 2010)

Pelenka and poorboy- DH had the choice of hold still or drive your bleeding self to urgent care clinic. Since he didn't want to bleed in his truck or pay for stitches he held still enough!! Another time he cut himself he actually came to town and tracked me down in the grocery store to ask me if he needed stitches, he didn't that time! And the pony stood fairly still, he pulled up a flap of skin (on I'm not sure what), guess it didn't hurt the old guy much!


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I once buried a utility knife in the meaty part of the palm of my hand. I super glued it and I can't even find the scar now.

I believe that the stuff is antiseptic by nature.


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

mothernature said:


> Pelenka and poorboy- DH had the choice of hold still or drive your bleeding self to urgent care clinic. Since he didn't want to bleed in his truck or pay for stitches he held still enough!! Another time he cut himself he actually came to town and tracked me down in the grocery store to ask me if he needed stitches, he didn't that time! And the pony stood fairly still, he pulled up a flap of skin (on I'm not sure what), guess it didn't hurt the old guy much!


Ripped a fingernail diagonally from left front back to right rear root. had to go to doctor for blood test that day so i just cleaned and bandaged it. After they drew blood and the doctor came in to check me out I showed him the nail..."Go home and superglue it", he said .. I did..


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Dermabond is like super glue, sort of. I've had little tubes of it and use both it and super glue.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I had surgery earlier this year. They put these steri strips on the wound, and it held the skin together so well that I am going to get some for our first aid kits. http://www.medicalmega.com/brand/3m...&ovcpn=Broad&gclid=CL3G5OqbtKwCFekaQgodWQE4sA


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

poorboy said:


> Supply person once bought some bargain gas hose when I was driving gas tanker. went to unhook hose one day and it being super stiff and in a bind, I had to really yank on it to get it loose. Welp the end of it hit me just below my eye onna cheekbone. had to go hospital and git it sewed up. doctor said it was to close to my eye to give anethsetic so I just gritted my teeth and let him sew it up. You can do it if you make up your mind that you will.


Yep. I had ten staples put in my scalp just below the crown area- no anethsetic. It wasn't that horrible...about like a hard pinch on each staple that only hurt for the time of the "pinch".
-scrt crk


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

secretcreek said:


> Yep. I had ten staples put in my scalp just below the crown area- no anethsetic. It wasn't that horrible...about like a hard pinch on each staple that only hurt for the time of the "pinch".
> -scrt crk


Been stitched up plenty. I think the dang local hurts more than just putting in the stitches.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I would never do it if I cut anything to the bone - too much chance of infection that deep. But ever since the hospital glued one DS's head back together with aerosal glue...we've used a lot of it.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

so you wouldn't put the glue IN the open gash would you?


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> so you wouldn't put the glue IN the open gash would you?


No, don't do that for deep wounds. Not worth the risk. I wouldn't even use super glue for deep wounds unless I had nothing else to use. Steri strips are great, along with immobilizing the joint. For what it's worth, super glue isn't quite the same as the medical grade suture glue hospitals use. I use it for minor cuts myself, but just wanted to point out that it isn't the same because that's a common misconception.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'ld put raw honey "in" the cut and super glue over it; then add either surgical tape or vetwrap to hold the skin together to aid the super glue.


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## Forest (Oct 14, 2010)

I've used it in animals. It works great for skin "sutures". I'm not so sure it would be appropriate for muscle/tendons. It might do harm in contaminated wounds.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Never put super glue IN the wound. After cleaning the wound, triple antibiotic (which does go in the wound), cleaning and drying the surrounding area, push the two sides of the wound together and glue the surface of the skin together. It is the skin you are gluing together. Make sure that you do a neat job of fitting the skin together so that the scar isn't ugly. And if you don't do a neat job of gluing it together, you may leave an open are that could invite infection.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Common Tator said:


> Never put super glue IN the wound. After cleaning the wound, triple antibiotic (which does go in the wound), cleaning and drying the surrounding area, push the two sides of the wound together and glue the surface of the skin together. It is the skin you are gluing together. Make sure that you do a neat job of fitting the skin together so that the scar isn't ugly. And if you don't do a neat job of gluing it together, you may leave an open are that could invite infection.


Good explanation...thank you.


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## kan-green (Oct 20, 2010)

As a medical professional I would suggest you irrigated the wound well with sterile water followed by iodine. Any part that bends is prone to reopen after using glue. I use it myself, the super glue at the dollar store is identical to medical dermabond. Watch for signs of infection and keep current on your tetanus. If SHTF we will see people dying from wounds, tooth abcesses, and tetanus.


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## kan-green (Oct 20, 2010)

motdaugrnds said:


> I'ld put raw honey "in" the cut and super glue over it; then add either surgical tape or vetwrap to hold the skin together to aid the super glue.


Honey is a natural antibiotic and has been used to treat resistant staff infections.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

kan-green said:


> the super glue at the dollar store is identical to medical dermabond.


I also use it myself, but it is generally not the same thing. Super glue is usually ethyl (ETA: or methly) cyanoacrylate (I've never seen any that isn't) while Dermabond is a different ester, if I remember correctly it's octyl cyanoacylate. Some tissue adhesives are butyl cyanoacrylate. All very similar, but not identical. I don't mean to be contentious, but I just try to be very accurate when it comes to medical information.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Well, can you be real accurate about how to get that super glue off the skin if you should accidentally get some on?

I just checked our stash of super glue, discovered it was open and got it all over (and between) 3 of my fingers.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Go soak in the tub for a long luxurious bath, keeping your hands in the water. You should be able to peel the glue off your fingers as they get pruny and wrinkley.

Been there, done that!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

ROFL yep, after doing dishes, it peeled right off.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Acetone works, but DMSO works better.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I know about acetone, but recommended soaking the hands in water because I don't think it is advisable to soak your skin in a harsh chemical. Read the post right above yours. Water worked.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Yeah, I posted my response before I saw the others. DMSO is better than acetone. It's also a harsh solvent, but supposedly safe. It's used as a carrier for some topical drugs and supplements. Either way, limited contact isn't a big deal, especially when used to remove toxic glue from your hands. But soaking in water is great and completely non-toxic. If there had been a wound involved, instead of it just being spilled on the hands, then you might not want to soak it, so it's good to know about the solvents in case they're needed.


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## marlas1too (Sep 11, 2010)

super glue was first made to close wounds for hospitals and the military


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Yes I have used super glue before, but I have also just used pressure and bound wound tight.

Off topic, kinda of.

I am a accident prone individual.perhaps its because I'm a lefty in a righty world.Perhaps I'm just accident prone.

I have cut myself many times and deep. Never have I had more then a minor infection.

No antibiotics just a good scrub and seal it up. Once set let it air,instead of keeping it 
wrapped.

Only exception was recently. It was not even a cut but a Broken open blister. I suppose I got some kind of bacteria in it from working. my lymph nodes at the elbow and under arm became incredibly inflamed and sore. not so much the blister. scared me pretty good.

Lots of fluids full B as well as C and all is well. 

But that surprised me very much with all the cuts I have suffered.


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## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

I cut myself all the time and never really clean it out or anything and I have never gotten an infection. This was the deepest I have cut myself so I filled it with honey befor I glued it shut and just about everyday the glue cracks and peels off so I put more honey in and reglue. I have also been eating a lot of garlic as an antibiotic, so far no sign of infection and it looks like the deepest part has healed back together and it is slowly healing from the inside out


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