Adhesives
Index
1) Adhesive and Tyron2-prosthetics
2) General information when choosing an adhesive
3) Solvent/ Adhesive remover
4) Problems reported with use of adhesives
5) Please help
6) Distributors
1) Adhesives and Tyron2-prosthetics
For troubleshooting see section 7) adhesives of troubleshooting.
Designed to stay attached, Tyron2-prothetics are:
- Soft
- Formed to ‘sit’ comfortably – so that you are not constantly ‘readjusting’
- Attached at the back as well as the front – to keep the prosthetic ‘sitting’ where it should (not falling forward or ‘riding’ up)
- Flexible- they bend and squish easily. This lessens pressure against the glue bond.
- Attached to the body with plates that are designed to bend and move with the body while allowing the prosthetic to bend and move without moving the plates.
- Light weight
- Made from professional prosthetics -medical use- silicones: no oily additives. (Oil based (and toxic) softeners are used in many special effects silicones, but not in medical silicones.)
2) General information when choosing an adhesive
Tyron2-prosthetics does not sell or distribute adhesives.
There are numerous adhesives available. Important is to choose one which is:
- Made specifically for prosthetics so that it does not irritate your skin or damage your prosthetic.
- Silicone based so that it is compatible with your prosthetic and is not affected by water.
- Strong: if there is a regular and an extra strength available, choose the extra strength.
- Easy to apply and to remove
There are two, which I currently suggest:
1. Hollister Medical Adhesive (Stock No. 7730)
Pros
- No smell and no health warnings.
- In many countries, it can be bought at your pharmacy.
- Relatively inexpensive.
- For most, it leaves very little or no residue on the skin and hair.
Cons
- In a spray can which is too big to slip into a pocket or keep unnoticed in a small corner.
- Some find it to be slightly weaker than ‘Secure Brand’.
2. Secure Brand Medical Adhesive- ‘extra strength thick’ from Dow Corning
Pros
- Can be refilled into smaller jars, which is good for always having it with you. (Jars must be airtight!)
- Some find it to be slightly stronger than Hollister 7730.
Cons
- In many countries, difficult to order (see below for distributors)
- Mixed with a solvent which has a strong chemical smell when drying, and breathing in the vapours is to be avoided.
- Evaporates very fast. Eventually you will need to buy a thin version of the adhesive to use as a thinning agent (see Tips here below).
- Seems to leave more adhesive residue on the skin and hair than does the Hollister 7730.
If you choose the Secure Brand, a
few Tips:
a) Keep the bottles closed tight to avoid evaporation.
b) When the glue becomes too thick to easily and evenly spread over the plates, add some of the thinner to it and leave it to settle. They will mix on their own.
c) For easy opening, wipe a very thin layer of Vaseline around the threads of the bottles.
d) Contact with oils and grease lessen the effect of the glue. Be sure to never get any in the bottles or on the brushes.
*I find that both work best when very thinly applied – Experiment to see what works best for you.
3) Solvent/ Adhesive remover
I don’t recommend buying an official medical adhesive solvent.
To remove from the skin and hair I suggest that you use soap and warm water and a bit of rubbing and/or pulling, or isopropanol (‘rubbing alcohol which you likely already have for your T-injections).
For more information please see section 7) adhesives of troubleshooting.
3) Problems reported with use of adhesives
(For tips and ideas to improve the glue bond, please see section 7) Adhesives of troubleshooting.)
There seems to be no adhesive that works for everyone. For some the adhesive does not work.
When this was first reported, I assumed that I had made a mistake in production, and replaced the prosthetics in question. Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the new prosthetics. I then consulted more experienced prosthetics makers, and have found that the problem is not the prosthetics, but the adhesives.
Factors that influence the adhesive bond of silicone based medical adhesives include:
- Design and materials of the prosthetic (see section 1) Adhesives and Tyron2-prosthetics above)
- Skin type
- Sweat (many adhesives are advertised as “not effected by perspiration”, but that is not entirely true. Sweat does affect the glue bond.)
- Weather
- Activity
- Oil –whether from the skin itself, or from creams etc.
So far I prefer the Hollister 7730, and recommend it to those who order tyron2-prosthetics. It follows that most problems reported to me, have been with the Hollister 7730.
I continue to recommend the Hollister, but am looking for alternatives because although I receive comments like this:
"Hi Tyron.
I was going to write to ask you why the glue lasted 2 or 3 days (and even 6 days now).
The only thing I do is to spray glue on the prosthesis, when the glue is dry, I spray again, wait for a time and then place it, and it lasts for 6 days.
Feel unable to help."
21 Apr 2009
(Response to an adhesives questionnaire)
I also receive comments like this:
| "I washed the prosthetic
with dish soap just to make sure there was no oily residue. I then went about
my day. After a few hours I noticed that it had fallen off while I was driving
(I was sitting so it wasn’t like it fell off and it was more noticeable as it
would have been if I were standing or walking). This is where the problem
occurs with the glue and the hair. When it falls off, the hair adjacent to the
shaved area gets matted down onto the skin area where the prosthetic was
attached and gets stuck in any glue residue. Then its extremely difficult to
get the glue off and hair free of the glue so that I can try to reattach the
prosthetic." 17 Apr 2009 |
5) Please help
To everyone who has a phase2 of the prosthetic, and anyone else reading this who has suggestions or ideas:
I recommend the Hollister 7730 medical adhesive for the prosthetics I make. For most it works really well -But not for everyone. For some, it ends up „gooey“, rather than „tacky“. The adhesive must be tacky in order to hold a prosthetic in place.
1. Which adhesive do you use? 2. Does the adhesive you use work for you? 3. Have you experienced the ‚goo’ with
Hollister 7730 or with other medical adhesives? And
if yes: b)
Do you have any tips or ideas to stop the ‚goo’? c)
Did you switch to another adhesive brand? d)
Did you find one that works for you? Please e-mail your answers to tyron2@gmx.net Thank
you in advance for your help,I’m
searching for alternatives and solutions, and need help.
6) Distributors
In many countries, Hollister 7730 can be
order over the counter from a pharmacist. This may also be the case with other
medical adhesives. Ask your pharmacist for suggestions. Please see section 2) General information when choosing an
adhesive (above)
Located in the USA
Sells Hollister 7730
Takes international orders
Janet also has a video on her website explaining how to use Hollister adhesive to attach silicone breast. The video is clear and informative. However, a tyron2-prosthetic is not held in place with a bra, and is attached to very sensitive skin.
A few points to keep in mind:
· The adhesive needs a moment to dry so that it sticks well.
· Do not apply the adhesive directly to your skin.
· You can spread the glue by wiping the back hold plate and the main plate together. See section 7) adhesives of troubleshooting.
· There is no need to buy or use a solvent to remove the adhesive from the prosthetic or from your skin. See section 7) adhesives of troubleshooting.
Located in the USA
Sells many adhesives including Hollister 7730, and Secure Brand BT-460 (extra strength thick) and 401(to use as a thinning agent), and 520(dispersed in a different solvent then the 460/401).
http://www.principalitymedical.com
Located in the UK
Sells Pro-Bond B-400, and Pro-Bond B-520 (as far as I know the same as Secure Brand from Factor2)
Their site includes a list of international distributors for the products they sell.
Located in the UK
Sells many adhesives including Pro-Bond from Principality, Secure Brand from Factor2, and Hollister 7730
Their site includes a list of international distributors for the products they sell.
www.cosmesil.de and www.bromfx.com
Located in Germany
Sell many adhesives including Secure Brand from Factor2