Mover over butterfly bandages, there’s a new way to secure cuts.
Used in clinical settings for several years, ZipStitch is now available over the counter for use at home.
Designed to close wounds up to 1.5″ in length and 1/8″ wide, ZipStitch utilizes an adhesive which lasts up to seven days. The advantage is that you can close a wound immediately without access to definitive care.
You attach the bandage to either side of the wound, pull the tabs taut and trim the excess.
ZipStitch is now even available on Amazon.
Sounds handy to have in the go bag.
Only thing I can say on the zip stitch is you gotta get the wound clean before sealing it. I’ve seen it in suture classes where no one is learning or even discussing it. Folks are looking at this is a self help device so get the wound and area clean.
Hopefully the instructions go into wound irrigation and wound depth considerations( an included go/ no-go depth gauge would be a nice touch) . Not really any more dangerous than steristrips, butterflies, duct tape, or super glue people used before though.
You beat me to it Matt. In pre-hospital medical training, no one really covers irrigation adequately.
Just because you can close a wound doesn’t mean you should. And never close a wound that hasn’t been thoroughly debrided….which is hard to do in the field.
Plus, these things are $35 or so each….and do what a piece of duct tape will do…
Solution in search of a problem. Nothing here that dermabond and steri strips doesn’t do better and faster, plus the concerns noted above about wound irrigation. can’t afford dermabond? use krazy glue instead.