How Over-the-Counter CGMs Are Transforming Healthcare Monitoring—and What This Means for Medical Wearables

Diabetic,Boy,With,A,Continuous,Glucose,Monitor,Living,Normal,Life,

The landscape of health monitoring is evolving rapidly, and the recent announcement from industry giants like Dexcom and Abbott about launching over-the-counter continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) marks a significant milestone. These innovations promise to broaden access to technology that has already revolutionized diabetes care, bringing millions of new users—those with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and even health-conscious individuals—into the fold.

At The Tape Lab, we understand that while these advancements open up incredible opportunities, they also introduce new challenges, particularly in the realm of long-term device adhesion. As CGMs become a staple in preventive health, the demand for reliable, comfortable, and skin-friendly adhesive solutions is more critical than ever.

Why Adhesive Expertise is Crucial for CGM Success

The efficacy of CGMs hinges not just on their ability to deliver accurate data but also on their capacity to stay securely attached to the user’s skin under varying conditions. This is where our specialized adhesive solutions come into play. We’ve observed firsthand how issues like skin irritation, device dislodgement during exercise, and adhesive failure in humid environments can undermine the utility of wearable devices. At The Tape Lab, our mission is to preempt these challenges with adhesives that offer both strength and comfort, ensuring that CGMs perform optimally, whether worn by an active individual or someone with sensitive skin.

Real-World Testing: The Tape Lab Difference

Transitioning CGMs to over-the-counter products means they’ll be used by a broader audience, many of whom might be new to such technology. Therefore, the importance of rigorous real-world testing cannot be overstated. At The Tape Lab, we go beyond laboratory conditions, subjecting our adhesive solutions to the kind of everyday scenarios that users encounter. From enduring the friction of a seatbelt to withstanding long hours in a high-humidity environment, our adhesives are engineered to meet and exceed the demands of real life.

As the healthcare industry embraces this new era of accessible remote health monitoring, The Tape Lab is proud to support this transition with adhesive solutions designed to keep wearables secure, comfortable, and effective for all users. We are excited to be part of this journey toward better health outcomes through innovative technology.

Join the Technological Movement

Now is the time to stay ahead of the curve and discover adhesive solutions for the latest medical technology and wearable devices.  Work with our experts to determine the right solution for your product.

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Revolutionizing Healthcare with Advanced Wearable Technologies

medical wearable device

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare, the integration of wearable technology represents a transformative shift, enhancing care and improving operational efficiency. At the heart of this revolution is our expertise in custom adhesive solutions, particularly our specialized die-cutting capabilities that tailor adhesives to the exact needs of medical devices.

Tailored Adhesive Solutions for Seamless Wearable Device Integration

Imagine a device no larger than a coin, yet capable of transforming traditional healthcare settings into advanced care hubs. These wearables are more than mere gadgets; they are vital for continuous patient monitoring, directly streaming health data to medical staff. Our die-cut adhesives play a crucial role here, ensuring devices stay securely attached to the patient without compromising comfort. This capability not only alleviates the physical demands on healthcare teams but also enhances the accuracy of monitoring, crucial for early detection and intervention.

The Role of AI in Enhancing Wearable Device Adhesive Technologies

At the core of these wearable devices is artificial intelligence (AI), which does more than process information—it anticipates and prevents. Coupled with our advanced adhesive technologies, AI enables these devices to remain precisely where they are needed, analyzing numerous data points to predict potential health declines and enabling proactive medical interventions. This integration of AI with our die-cutting adhesive solutions marks a significant advancement in wearable technology, shifting from reactive to proactive care to ensure better patient outcomes.

Designing for Adherence and Comfort with Precision Die-Cutting

Adherence and comfort are paramount in medical wearables, and our die-cutting technology is at the forefront of ensuring these criteria are met. Our custom die-cut solutions provide secure, skin-friendly adhesion that allows devices to be as unobtrusive as possible. Features such as waterproof capabilities and extended battery life—up to 30 days of continuous use—are essential for the widespread adoption of wearables, allowing patients to maintain their daily routines without interruption.

Enhancing Healthcare Efficiency and Resource Management

The deployment of our tailored adhesive technologies significantly liberates valuable medical resources. By ensuring that wearable devices stay securely in place with minimal discomfort, we allow healthcare providers to concentrate their expertise where it is most needed, thus enhancing patient care and optimizing staff utilization. This efficiency not only maximizes the services provided but also boosts the morale and satisfaction of healthcare workers.

The Takeaway for Healthcare Innovators

For those of us at the forefront of developing wearable medical devices, the message is clear: the future is now. Our expertise in die-cut adhesive solutions is not merely a support function; it is an integral component of wearable technology, providing the essential ‘glue’ that brings these innovations to life. Wearable technology, equipped with our advanced adhesives, offers a promising avenue for significant impact and innovation.

As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in medical technology, our role in engineering advanced adhesive solutions places us at the forefront of this field. We are committed to sticking with innovation, supporting every step of the development process—from idea to FDA approval, through prototypes, testing, manufacturing, and distribution.

By embracing these advancements, we empower not just our healthcare systems but also the individual lives they touch. The future is promising, and we are proud to be a part of shaping that future, ensuring that each step forward makes healthcare more accessible and efficient for everyone involved.

Join the Technological Movement

Now is the time to stay ahead of the curve and discover adhesive solutions for the latest medical technology and wearable devices.  Work with our experts to determine the right solution for your product.

Shop Wearable Adhesive Solutions

 

Stick-To-Skin Adhesives – A Key Disruptor in Modern Healthcare

Transdermal patch on arm

Wearable stick-to-skin medical devices give doctors the freedom to become time and location-independent. Healthcare providers can effortlessly gather vital patient information and take appropriate action from virtually anywhere. Plus, the patient doesn’t have to spend hours on a long commute. CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) is a good example, which allows doctors to remotely monitor diabetics.

However, the core component that is crucial to the effectiveness of such devices is a stick-to-skin adhesive. It ensures that the device stays attached to the patient’s body for the desired period without disrupting their usual routine. Let’s take a closer look at stick-to-skin adhesives and the importance of a reliable conversion partner.

On The Cusp Of A Growth Boom

Wearable technology; a once farfetched idea, is becoming a norm in modern medicine. It would be fair to conclude that it is rewriting the way healthcare is delivered. We are used to receiving medical attention within a typical clinical establishment; however, most patients face a medical situation at home, on travel, or at work. A moment’s delay in such a state could be catastrophic.

This has given an exponential boost to the demand for wearable tech for remote patient monitoring. According to an industrial analysis Mordor Intelligence, the wearable adhesive market, which was valued at $294.21 million in 2020, is on its way to more than doubling to $617.43 million by 2026. From medical devices and patient monitors to wound closure and sports tapes, this presents a sizeable growth opportunity in every market segment.

Considerations For Designing A Winning Stick-To-Skin Product

While the patient benefits from the device itself, however, a reliable stick-to-skin adhesive is what enables the device to do its job. Let’s explore the factors that must be considered to ensure that the product meets the expected standards:

Material Considerations:
  1. Moisture Management: Stick-to-skin devices are designed to be compatible with the user’s daily lifestyle. That means it must stand up to sweat, bodily fluids, and external moisture. To counter this, adhesive materials employ the following two methods:
    1. Fluid absorption – The adhesive takes on the moisture and holds it away from the skin to prevent irritation.
    2. Moisture-vapor transmission – Tiny holes in the adhesive and carrier material allow moisture to evaporate.
    3. Getting the layer right: Designing an effective stick-to-skin product is a complicated endeavor. Several layers of materials must come together before a product starts to take shape. The designers and manufacturers must get this delicate balance just right for the product to function correctly. For example, if an adhesive used in the skin contact layer is breathable but the outer layer does not allow moisture-vapor transmission, the product won’t perform as intended.
  2. Regulatory Considerations: Bringing a medical-grade product to the market requires the manufactories to adhere to strict regulatory standards. Even a small oversight can cause significant losses – both monetary and in terms of time to the market. Here’s what to look out for.
    1. Relevant ISO Certification & Documentation: Your design, manufacturing, and supply partners must be ISO 13485 certified and compliant.
    2. Safety Tests: To ensure that the adhesives meet the required safety standards, your suppliers must be able to conduct tests such as primary skin irritation (PSI) testing, cytotoxicity screening, biocompatibility, and safety testing, and guinea pig sensitization
  3. The Right Converting Partners: Unquestionable credibility is the backbone of any enterprise that provides healthcare services and related products. This means your production and conversion partner must have extensive experience along with outstanding research and development capabilities. The Tape Lab checks all of these boxes. Let’s take a closer look:
    1. Unquestionable Credibility & Extensive Adhesive-Specific Experience: The Tape Lab brings to the table over 18 years of research & manufacturing experience in the stick-to-skin medical tech space. Some of the largest names in the industry such as Avery Dennison have entrusted us with developing adhesive solutions for their flagship continuous health monitor. We’re supremely confident we can meet and exceed your expectations as well.
    2. A Wide Range OF Stick-To-Skin Products: The Tape Lab currently offers 11 individual categories for stick-to-skin products and 6 categories for wearable medical products. Our range includes but is not limited to adhesive bras, boob tape, CBD adhesive patches, fashion tape, wearable device tape, and diagnostic tape. You can explore our full product range over here. No matter what you have in mind, you’ll find it under one roof with The Tape Lab.
    3. The Ability To Customize & Unrivaled Engineering Expertise: Do you have an idea for a unique stick-to-skin product? We can help you bring it to life. The Tape Lab excels in every facet of medical adhesive design and manufacturing. Our core competencies include designing the tapes, die-cutting the patches, layer lamination, customizing the liner releases, and full-service OEM assembly. This gives us the scale and production capacity that will empower you to bring your product to market quicker and cheaper than your competition.
    4. Strong Supplier Partnerships: What sets us apart is our rock solid supply chain. We enjoy strong relationships with leading material manufacturers in the medical adhesive space. Our partners include 3M, Avery Dennison, Berry Plastics, Adhesive Applications and Polymer Science. This ensures immediate material access and enables us to design and produce customized medical adhesive solutions far quicker and cheaper than most of our competitors.

Next Step – Book A Free Consultation

Looking for a full-service tape converter and adhesives specialist? Contact The Tape Lab today. Our experts will schedule an obligation-free call and explain how we can put our full suite of converting services to work for you.

Transdermal Topical Patches – Will They Redefine The Way Vitamins and Supplements are Delivered?

medical device adhesive

It certainly seems that way. It wasn’t long ago that transdermal patches were viewed as a novel way to cope with chronic smoking. However, as their acceptance increased over the years, they are now being utilized to deliver vitamins, supplements, as well as give consumers remedies for, pain relief, sleep, hangovers and recovery, relaxation- or any combination of all the above via a topical patch.

Let’s explore further and take a closer look at the considerations for manufacturing quality transdermal topical patches.

What Is A Transdermal Patch & Its Various Types

In essence, these are small stick-to-skin patches to administer carefully determined plant based botanicals and vitamin doses through the patient’s skin. Patients find them convenient, non-invasive, and pain-free. Moreover, the patches enable delivery in a controlled manner, therefore, eliminating sharp peaks and valleys in vitamin and supplement administration.

Transdermal topical patches usually have 5 core components i.e. backing, ingredients (vitamins and supplements), membrane, adhesive, and the liner. They can be broadly categorized into 5 groups:

The Importance Of Choosing The Right Adhesive Converter For Transdermal Patches

The adhesive plays a critical role in ensuring that the patch stays securely pasted to the user’s skin and delivers the vitamins and supplements as intended. Let’s take a closer look at the criteria the patch adhesive must meet:

  1. Seamless Skin Adherence & Removal: It should be strong enough that the patch stays put and securely adhereed to the user’s skin for the required period. However, the adhesive must be balanced enough that the user can easily remove it without any discomfort.
  2. No Residue: No one likes to scrape sticky residue off their skin. When the patch is removed, it must not leave any adhesive residue on the skin.
  3. Comfortable: The adhesive must not cause any irritation, rashes, or trigger sensitivity.
  4. Skin- Adhesive Compatibility: It should seamlessly blend the adhesive with the ingredients without causing any physical or chemical clashes.
  5. Permeation: It should not interfere with the way or the speed at which the vitamins or supplement is supposed to be transferred to the patient.

Why An Experienced Adhesive Converter Matters

Transdermal Topical patch manufacturing is a complicated process and an experienced converter can help you stay competitive by eliminating unnecessary costs and significantly shortening the time to market.

  1. End-To-End Patch Design & Development: A knowledgeable converter can help you with any phase of the design and manufacturing process. E.g. it can help you design the required delivery system patch. What you’ll get is a well-made transdermal topical patch perfectly sized and designed to function seamlessly with the intended area of the body.
  2. Selection Of The Correct Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive: A reliable adhesive converter will ensure that the patch stays pasted to the user for the intended period and can stand up to sweat, dirt, and daily activity without causing any discomfort or skin damage.
  3. Consistent Patch Quality: A seasoned convertor will ensure that patch is made to deliver a consistent dosage.
  4. Regulatory Compliance: You will never have to worry about any compliance issues if you work with a converter that is cGMP certified.
  5. Desired Patch Shape & Size: Transdermal Topical patches have various uses, which may require the patch to be of a certain shape or size. An experienced converter brings to the table with numerous die-cutting, slitting, and sheeting capabilities, therefore, giving you the freedom to design and manufacture the patch in any shape or size. Moreover, an expert converter will eliminate material waste and help further reduce your per unit cost.
  6. Continuous Access To Critical Patch Making Materials: Experienced convertors have ties to major suppliers and can help you source the premium materials to make quality patch products that stand out in the marketplace.

What Sets The Tape Lab apart

That is indeed a relevant question. Let’s see how The Tape Lab can help bring your transdermal topical patch products to the market quicker and cheaper.

  1. A Wide Range Of Transdermal Topical Patches: No matter what type of transdermal topical patch you have in mind, we can bring it to life. And we aren’t just limited to patches. The Tape Lab offers an extensive range of stick-to-skin products such as adhesive bras, boob tape, fashion tape, wearable device tape, and diagnostic tape. You can explore our full product range over here.
  2. Unquestionable Credibility & Extensive Adhesive-Specific Experience: The Tape Lab brings to the table over 18 years of research & manufacturing experience in the stick-to-skin medical tech space. Some of the largest names in the industry such as Avery Dennison have entrusted us with developing adhesive solutions for their products. We’re supremely confident we can meet and exceed your expectations as well.
  3. Strong Supplier Partnerships: What sets us apart is our rock solid supply chain. We enjoy strong relationships with leading material manufacturers in the medical adhesive space. Our partners include 3M, Avery Dennison, Berry Plastics, Adhesive Applications and Polymer Science. This ensures immediate material access and enables us to design and produce customized adhesive solutions a lot quicker and cheaper than most of our competitors.

Next Step – Book A Free Consultation

Looking for a full-service tape converter and adhesives specialist? Contact The Tape Lab today. Our experts will schedule an obligation-free call and explain how we can put our full suite of converting services to work for you.

How Innovative Adhesive Solutions Are Transforming Continuous Health Monitoring & Wearable Medical Tech

Medical Wearables

We may not realize it, but the use of continuous health monitors is quite common – especially within the Global healthcare systems. As of 2020, over 23 million patients in the US alone utilized some form of continuous and remote health monitoring and this number is expected to hit 30 million by the year 2024.

Let’s dig a bit deeper and see how far the modern continuous monitoring tech has come and its impact on how we approach medical care. We will also shed light on how material converting and production partners are helping to bring continuous enhancements within the wearable med tech space.

What Exactly Is A Continuous Health Monitors (CHM)?

As the name implies, it is a medical device that monitors a patient continuously. The goal is to gather data on the patient’s primary health indicators and relay the information to concerned medical caregivers. In most cases, these are wearable devices that the patient can stick onto their body while carrying out their usual daily activities including working out or taking a shower.

Why It Matters?

While the technology may still be young; we’re already seeing its tremendous potential in simplifying healthcare. For starters, it can significantly reduce the time patients spend commuting to their doctor’s office or the hospital and then waiting there for the physician.

During a 2015 study, Harvard Medical School discovered patients on average spend 2 hours on a hospital visit. Continuous health monitors can minimize or almost eliminate these visits in many instances. For example, someone with a chronic heart issue can leverage it to share their data on vital health indicators and get instant feedback from their consultant rather than making the long commute.

Not only is it convenient but such devices may also help manage medical emergencies much better. The constant flow of primary health data enables doctors to take immediate action. Moreover, by minimizing patient visits, these gadgets can significantly improve the efficiency of medical facilities by reducing patient pressure.

The Role of Reliable Adhesive Solutions in Quality Wearable Devices to the Market

Depending on the patients’ needs, they may choose to wear such a device for up to 3 weeks. This means the device must be able to withstand the rigors of daily life without fail. A reliable adhesive solution ensures that the device stays securely attached to the patient’s body for the intended period. Let’s take a closer look at how advanced medical adhesive solutions add to the utility of these devices:

  • Makes It Suitable For An Active Lifestyle: Just because a patient needs to be continuously monitored shouldn’t mean that they cannot commit to normal daily activities such as school, runs, working out or a hike on the weekend. This, however, means that the device must deal with sweat, moisture, and an occasional bump. A reliable adhesive ensures that the device stays put and performs well under normal push and pull of the human body.
  • Ergonomics & Comfort: Let’s be honest. The idea of something continuously sticking to your body is not very appealing. That said, certain health conditions such as diabetes may require patients to wear glucose monitoring devices for weeks. A well-designed adhesive system guarantees that the patient can wear the device comfortably for extended periods without the risk of skin rashes or irritation.

The Importance Of A Reliable Converting & Production Partner

Unquestionable credibility is the backbone of any enterprise that provides healthcare services and related products. This means your production and converting partner must have extensive experience along with outstanding research and development capabilities.

The Tape Lab checks all of these boxes. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Trusted By Global Wearable Medical Tech Brands: The Tape Lab brings to the table over 18 years of research & manufacturing experience in the stick-to-skin medical tech space. Some of the largest names in the industry have entrusted us with developing adhesive solutions for their flagship continuous health monitor. We’re supremely confident we can meet and exceed your expectations as well.
  • Strong Supplier Partnerships: What sets us apart is our rock solid supply chain. We enjoy strong relationships with leading material manufacturers in the medical adhesive space. Our partners include 3M, Avery Dennison, Berry Global, and Dermamed. This ensures immediate material access and enables us to design and produce customized medical adhesive solutions far quicker and cheaper than most of our competitors.
  • Unrivaled Adhesive Engineering & Production Expertise: The Tape Lab excels in every facet of medical adhesive design and manufacturing. Our core competencies include designing the tapes, die-cutting the patches, layer lamination, customizing the liner releases, and full-service OEM packaging. We’re equally proficient in the design, manufacturing, and packaging of stick-to-skin wearables. Moreover, each tape component is manufactured in our ISO-8 certified clean rooms.

Next Step – Book A Free Consultation

Looking for a full-service tape converter and adhesives specialist? Contact The Tape Lab today. Our experts will schedule an obligation-free call and explain how we can put our full suite of converting services to work for you.

References

  1. https://blog.prevounce.com/27-remote-patient-monitoring-statistics-every-practice-should-know#:~:text=Consumer%2FPatient%20Statistics&text=A%20survey%20conducted%20by%20Insider,services%20and%20tools%20in%202020
  2. https://aabme.asme.org/posts/innovations-in-continuous-health-monitoring

Charting The Way Forward For The Stick-To-Skin Industry – Jason Zajac (President, The Tape Lab) Addresses PSTC

Charting The Way Forward For The Stick-To-Skin Industry

During the first week of May (May 2-5), the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC) held the inaugural PSTC Tape Week in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

PSTC Tape Week is a lot more than a traditional networking exercise. The primary objective is to unite the Tape Manufacturers with the adhesive makers and engineers of the pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) industry under one roof. The focus is to enable niche-specific knowledge sharing and to provide segmented learning and growth opportunities for PSA professionals.

Our President, Jason Zajac had the honor to speak on the medical stick to skin pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) and what trends will shape the medical market, more specifically the wearables space in the near to medium-term future.

Let’s explore further.

PSTC – Shaping The American Tape Manufacturing Industry

For the past 60 years, the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC) has dedicated its resources to developing a thriving tape manufacturing sector within the United States. It strives to create an enabling environment for North American tape manufacturers and affiliate suppliers, thereby, helping them produce quality pressure-sensitive adhesive tape products in the global marketplace.

Jason Sketches A Thorough Overview Of The Medical Stick-to-Skin Industry

After touching upon common stick-to-skin adhesive applications, Jason elaborated on the core deciding factors while choosing the right PSA and ended by shedding light on the importance of choosing the right converting partner. Let’s dive a bit deeper into each section:

  1. Common Stick-To-Skin Applications: Wearable stick-to-skin products give doctors the freedom to become time and location-independent. Healthcare providers can effortlessly gather vital patient information and take appropriate action from virtually anywhere. More importantly, they offer numerous application options from head to toe including CGM/insulin delivery, ECG/EKG, wearable devices/patient monitors, pulse oximeters​, wound dressings​, wound closures​, adhesive bras​, cosmetic products​, and transdermal patches.
  2. ​Factors For Determining What PSA To Use: The factors that dictate which medical PSA should be chosen include:
    1. Wear Time: Depending on the patient’s needs, stick-to-skin products can be worn anywhere for a couple of days to several weeks. For short-term usage, the core adhesive components are silicones, rubbers, hydrogels​, and hydrocolloids. And the backing should be foams, TPE​, PE film​, and PET.​ Stick-to-product intended for long-term use should have adhesives made from solvent acrylics and UV cured acrylics. And the backings should either be PU film​ or non-woven PET/ PU.​ ​
    2. Moisture Management: Stick-to-skin devices are designed to be compatible with the user’s daily lifestyle. That means it must stand up to sweat, bodily fluids, and external moisture. For enhanced absorption hydrocolloids and absorbent foams should be utilized. And when it comes to breathability, materials such as PU film backings, non-woven backings, and perforated PSAs​ have consistently delivered the desired results. ​ ​
    3. Skin Irritation: The slightest irritation can compel the wearer to abandon the device, thereby, defeating its entire purpose. Factors such as the wearer’s age, local climate, daily activity volume, device placement on the body and product wear time all equally impact the irritation level. Adhesive materials such as acrylic, rubber, silicone, and hydrogels offer the right balance for eliminating irritation. For the backing, the preferred material choices are PU/ PET/ PE film, on-wovens​, PE Foams​ , and cloth​. ​
    4. Clarity of backing Material & PSA​: Backing is the carrier to which the PSA layer is laminated. Moreover, it dictates the way the tape behaves and ensures that the skin has breathability. Applications include wound dressings, NPWT, cover tapes, and shower tapes. Materials such as PU film, PET film​, and PE films are used for an optically clear backing.
    5. Material Availability & Strong Supplier Partnerships: What sets The Tape Lab apart is its rock-solid supply chain. We enjoy strong relationships with leading material manufacturers in the medical adhesive space. Our partners include 3M, Avery Dennison, Berry Plastics, Adhesive Applications and Polymer Science. This ensures immediate material access and enables us to design and produce customized medical adhesive solutions far quicker and cheaper than most of our competitors.
  3. The Right Conversion Partner: No business, healthcare, or otherwise can survive without undisputed integrity. The easiest way to ensure that is by choosing a seasoned material converting partner that brings to the table extensive research and development capabilities. The Tape Lab checks all of these boxes:
    1. Unquestionable Credibility & Extensive Adhesive-Specific Experience: The Tape Lab has over 18 years of research & manufacturing experience in the stick-to-skin medical tech space. Some of the largest names in the industry have entrusted us with developing adhesive solutions for their flagship continuous health monitors. We’re supremely confident we can meet and exceed your expectations as well.
    2. A Wide Range OF Stick-To-Skin Products: The Tape Lab currently offers 11 individual categories for stick-to-skin products and 6 categories for wearable medical products. Our range includes but is not limited to adhesive bras, boob tape, CBD adhesive patches, fashion tape, wearable device tape, and diagnostic tape. You can explore our full product range over here. No matter what you have in mind, you’ll find it under one roof with The Tape Lab.
    3. The Ability To Customize & Unrivaled Engineering Expertise: The Tape Lab excels in every facet of medical adhesive design and manufacturing. Our core competencies include designing the tapes, die-cutting the patches, layer lamination, customizing the liner releases, and full-service OEM assembly. This gives us the scale and production capacity that will empower you to bring your product to market quicker and cheaper than your competition.

Next Step – Book A Free Consultation

Looking for a full-service tape converter and adhesives specialist? Contact The Tape Lab today. Our experts will schedule an obligation-free call and explain how we can put our full suite of converting services to work for you.

The importance of choosing the right adhesive for stick-to-skin medical devices

medical wearable device

Producers of stick-to-skin medical devices have to make a lot of choices as they work to bring products from design concept to commercial production. But one of the most important decisions involves your choice of adhesive material. Because the adhesive you use has a direct impact on patient comfort and product performance, it’s critical you weigh your options carefully and find a partner that can help guide your selection. Here are some of the top considerations in choosing stick-to-skin adhesive materials and how the right medical converting partner can help improve product design.

How does the adhesive manage moisture?

Perhaps the most important factor for medical wearable devices is moisture management. Adhesive materials have a variety of ways to manage bodily fluids like sweat, oil, blood and others. The two most common forms of moisture management are fluid absorption (where the adhesive actually takes on the moisture and holds it away from the skin) and moisture-vapor transmission (where tiny holes in the adhesive material allow moisture to evaporate). Both kinds of materials have advantages for different applications.

However, you need to consider the design and construction of the entire device. A breathable adhesive that allows fluids to evaporate won’t be suitable if materials in outer layers of the product prevent moisture transmission. A converting partner can help you think holistically about your materials and design needs and make recommendations to ensure consistent product performance.

Is the adhesive material skin-friendly?

It’s an issue faced by every producer of stick-to-skin medical devices: The adhesive needs to be strong enough to stay securely fixed as the patient moves, but it also needs to limit skin irritation as much as possible. This is particularly important for devices designed for patients who may have more sensitive skin or where maceration is of particular concern.

Using 2-in-1 products can help solve this problem as they feature different adhesive materials for the skin-contact layer and construction layer, or tie-layer. However, you’ll need to make sure these materials work in harmony as different adhesives can sometimes be incompatible. An experienced converter can advise your engineers on how to find the perfect balance to ensure product performance and patient comfort.

Does it offer optical clarity?

Do medical professionals need to be able to visually inspect the application site without fully removing the device? If so, you’ll need an adhesive that offers visual clarity while maintaining the integrity of the device. This is also important in situations where light sensing is required. Medical converters can make suggestions for adhesives that offer both strength and visual clarity.

How long is the product wear time?

Is the product designed for long wear times (up to three weeks) or short-term use (less than 30 minutes)? The longevity of the finished product is directly tied to your adhesive selection, making the material you choose a critical component of the product’s end use. Engineers and converters should collaborate to select adhesive materials that match the intended wear time.

Is the material scalable?

As you look to gain market share with new products, you need to make sure that every aspect of production is scalable to meet your growing need. That includes your adhesive. So, you want to make sure your selection will not only be available in large enough quantities, but you also need to make sure your converting partner is capable of converting materials at scale. This means they have strong partnerships with materials suppliers and have the production means to ramp up quickly and provide fast turnaround from design concept to prototype to commercial production.

The adhesive materials you choose for stick-to-skin medical devices have a direct impact on product performance, patient comfort and your ability to produce products at scale. This is why you need to consider all factors carefully when making decisions on materials. An experienced medical converter can use their expertise to help guide your selection of adhesives and create products that make an impact in the medical market.

Looking for a converting partner that can help bring medical devices to life with consistent quality and speed? Contact The Tape Lab to see how our experienced team can help you convert your ideas into powerful products.