Wound closure strips are porous

surgical tape Surgical tape or medical tape is a type of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape used in medicine and first aid to hold a bandage or other dressing onto a wound. These tapes usually have a hypoallergenic adhesive which is designed to hold firmly ont ...

strips which can be used to close small wounds. They are applied across the laceration in a manner which pulls the skin on either side of the wound together. Wound closure strips may be used instead of sutures (stitches) in some injuries, because they lessen

scarring A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a na ...

and are easier to care for.

Names

Wound closure strips are often referred to using the

genericized trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...

''Steri-Strips'', the brand name used by 3M's

Nexcare Nexcare is 3M's personal health care brand. The brand competes with Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aid brand in the adhesive bandage and first aid market. The brand also sells similar products such as bandages, gauze, surgical tape, cold sore treatme ...

. The precursor to the Steri-Strip was 3M's Micropore brand of

microporous A microporous material is a material containing pores with diameters less than 2 nm. Examples of microporous materials include zeolites and metal-organic frameworks. Porous materials are classified into several kinds by their size. The recom ...

Usage

Wound closure strips are ideal for use in highly contoured areas or areas of musculoskeletal movements, such as joints. They are also for use in areas where swelling, edema, hematomas, or bloating may occur. Additionally, they provide wound support following early suture or staple removal. Wound closure strips may also be applied together with special glue (e.g. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate, also known as Dermabond) to secure the wound.

Benefits

The porous fabric of Steri-Strips allows more fresh air to the wound and prevent

skin maceration Maceration is defined as the softening and breaking down of skin resulting from prolonged exposure to moisture. It was first described by Jean-Martin Charcot in 1877. Maceration is caused by excessive amounts of fluid remaining in contact with th ...

. Plastic or other non-porous bandages often prevent perspiration and other bodily fluids from drying and are more likely to cause the wound to be macerated, which increases risk of bacterial or fungal infection. Steri-strips result in less scarring when compared to staples or sutures. They present a lesser chance of infection than sutures or staples.

Variations

#Reinforced skin closures: These are sterile skin closure strips that are made of a porous, non-woven backing coated with a pressure-sensitive, hypoallergenic adhesive and reinforced with polyester filaments for added strength. They provide general wound support for increased tensile strength and finer wound edge approximation. #Blend tone skin closures non-reinforced: These are sterile, light beige skin closure strips made of a porous, non-woven backing coated with a pressure sensitive, hypoallergenic adhesive. They blend with and allow the natural skin tone (of light beige people) to show through. They are for use in areas where a cosmetically pleasing appearance is desirable, such as the face or arms. #Steri-Strips are paper-based, so durability can be compromised if they get wet. Products such as Leukostrip have been developed that are made of a synthetic material that will repel water and therefore remain in place longer.

Alternatives

Butterfly closure An adhesive bandage, also called a sticking plaster, medical plaster, or simply plaster in British English, is a small medical dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full-size bandage. They are also known by the genericized tra ...

s are a type of adhesive strip consisting of two connected adhesive pads. The pads are attached to either side of the wound to hold the wound closed. Like wound closure strips, butterfly closures do not require a medical professional to apply and can result in improved cosmetic outcomes for small wounds, compared to surgical sutures. Some forms of

cyanoacrylate Cyanoacrylates are a family of strong fast-acting adhesives with industrial, medical, and household uses. They are derived from ethyl cyanoacrylate and related esters. The cyanoacrylate group in the monomer rapidly polymerizes in the presence ...

glue may also be used for similar purposes. There are three cyanoacrylate compounds currently available as topical skin adhesives. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate is marketed as Dermabond, SurgiSeal, and more recently LiquiBand Exceed. n-Butyl cyanoacrylate is marketed as Histoacryl, Indermil, GluStitch, GluSeal, PeriAcryl, and LiquiBand. The compound ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate is available as Epiglu."Topical skin adhesives. DermNet NZ". www.dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 29 June 2016.

References