I happen to have a number of cuts on my hand at the moment (I’ve been taking classes at a glass studio in Portland and was especially clumsy yesterday) and had the opportunity to try that “New-Skin” stuff — it’s part of the first aid supplies they keep on hand.
New-Skin (and other liquid bandages) brush on and dry quickly, forming a flexible, waterproof covering for cuts, scrapes, skin cracks, and blisters. The original New-Skin brand product was invented more than a hundred years ago and got its first trademark in 1901.
Several different companies make and market liquid bandages, but they all seem to be made from basically the same stuff: a mixture of chemicals (including nitrocellulose and a derivative of quinoline) in alcohol. The alcohol itself is antiseptic; some products include other antiseptic agents. Some brands of liquid bandage are actually a form of super glue!
Super glue (cyanoacrylate glue) was discovered by a researcher from Eastman Kodak in the 1940s. The adhesive works very well to bond body tissue! During the Vietnam War, a cyanoacrylate glue spray was used to stop bleeding on the battlefield. It works quickly to stop blood loss. Researchers are also working on ways to use liquid bandage to seal surgical incisions and reduce bleeding after surgery.
Pretty interesting stuff! So back to my experience with New-Skin:
- Wait until the cut stops bleeding, otherwise you get a weird blob of blood underneath your New-Skin.
- The stuff smells kind of funny. I wasn’t thrilled with the scent! Smells kind of like nail polish, or nail polish remover. Maybe that’s the alcohol base?
- My other complaint is that it’s kind of slow to dry. Maybe I used too much New-Skin liquid? It was kind of tricky to apply and NOT get a big blob of the stuff.
- It did seal up the cut on the back of my hand (where I couldn’t get a bandage to stay) very well! A day later (after repeated hand washing) the New-Skin is still there.