What is Superglue Injury

Superglue is very strong glue. A superglue injury can happen if superglue gets on your skin or in your body.

What are the causes?

This condition may be caused by:

• Getting superglue on your skin.
• Getting superglue in your eyes, ears, or mouth.
• Breathing superglue into your airway.

What are the signs or symptoms?

If superglue gets on your skin, symptoms may include:

• Skin that is stuck together.
• Sore skin.
• Skin burns.

If superglue gets in your eye, symptoms may include:

• Eye pain.
• Watery eyes.
• Blurry vision.
• Stuck together eyelids.
• Eyelash loss.

If superglue gets in your ear, symptoms may include:

• An earache.
• Trouble hearing.

If superglue gets in your mouth or airway, symptoms may include:

• Lips that are stuck together.
• Severe and persistent coughing.
• Coughing up glue.
• Trouble breathing.
• Tightness in your chest.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition is diagnosed based on a physical exam and a description of how the injury happened. If glue got in your eye, you may need to see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) at an emergency clinic. The ophthalmologist may put drops in your eye to make the eye numb and to make it easier to see what part of the eye is injured. If the glue was inhaled into your airway, your throat and airway may need to be examined with a long thin instrument (bronchoscope). Your health care provider may also order a chest X-ray to find out where the glue is in the airway.

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition depends on the part of the body affected by the superglue. If your skin is stuck together:

• A solution may be used to help dissolve the glue so that the pieces of skin that are stuck together can be peeled apart.
• If some of your skin pulls off, a first-aid cream will be put on the area.

If the glue got in your eye:

• Your eye may be numbed with eyedrops.
• Your eye may be washed out.
• Eyelashes that are stuck together may be cut.
• An ointment may be used to loosen the glue.
• Tweezers may be used to remove pieces of glue.
• Eyelids that are glued shut may be gently peeled apart. Or, they may be left alone to come apart on their own. This can take a few days.
• A patch may be put over the eye.
• Eye drops may be prescribed to treat or prevent infection and inflammation.

If the glue got in your ear:

• A chemical called acetone or eardrops may be used to loosen the glue.
• If the glue is on the eardrum, your health care provider may gently peel it off.
• You may be given eardrops or antibiotic medicine to help your ear heal and to prevent infection.

If the glue got in your mouth:

• Warm water may be put on your lips to increase the moisture in your mouth.
• Your lips may be carefully peeled or rolled apart.

If you inhaled the glue:

• You may need help breathing. You may be given:
  • Oxygen.
  • Medicine to open the airway.
  • A breathing tube.
• You may be given IV steroids or medicines to relax your airway.
• The glue may be removed from the airway.
• You may be given antibiotics to prevent infection.

Follow these instructions at home:

• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, use it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop using the antibiotic until your health care provider tells you to.
• Keep all follow-up visits with your health care provider. This is important.
• If a superglue injury happens again:
  • Do not try to pull apart skin or lips that are stuck together.
  • Soak the area with warm soapy water for several minutes.
  • Try to dissolve the glue with petroleum jelly. If the glue is not around the eyes or mouth, you may also try to dissolve the glue with an acetone solution. Acetone is often found in nail polish remover. To use acetone, put a small amount on a cotton-tipped swab and dab the affected skin. Do not use acetone around your eyes or mouth.
  • If your fingers are stuck together, use a gentle rolling motion to unstick them.
  • If superglue has gotten into your eye, wash your eyes with warm water for 15 minutes. Keep your eyelids open if they are not stuck together.

How is this prevented?

To prevent a future superglue injury:

• Read all directions on the product label. Follow them carefully.
• Do not use more superglue than you need.
• Do not use your teeth or mouth to open superglue tubes.
• Wear gloves, eye protection, and a mask when using superglue.
• Do not touch your eyes, ears, or mouth after handling superglue.
• Use superglue only in areas with good airflow.
• Supervise your child if he or she will be using superglue.
• Store superglue where children cannot reach it.
• Do not store superglue near medicines or cosmetics. The glue container could be confused with other items, such as an eyedrop or ear drop bottle.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Home treatment is not working. For example, the glue is not dissolving.
• Your skin looks damaged after treatment.

Get help right away if:

• You get superglue in your mouth.
• You inhale superglue.
• You get superglue in your ear or eye.