Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) have transformed diabetes care, offering users freedom and real-time data. For the engineers designing these devices, that freedom presents a distinct engineering problem: how do you ensure a device stays securely attached to the body for 14, 21, or even 30 days? The answer is in an adhesive that does more than simply bond, focusing instead on breathability, moisture management, and a good understanding of skin science.
The Challenge
An adhesive for a long-wear CGM must do more than just stick. It becomes a temporary, functional layer of the user’s skin for an extended period. During this time, the skin needs to breathe, perspire, and flex. An improper adhesive can trap moisture, leading to skin maceration, irritation, and eventually, adhesive failure. This results in a poor user experience and the loss of a costly device. For designers, choosing the right tape means anticipating these real-world conditions.
Breathability
One of the main considerations for a long-wear adhesive is breathability. The skin naturally releases moisture vapor, and if that vapor becomes trapped under a non-breathable tape, the skin can quickly become oversaturated and irritated. This is where material selection makes a difference. Using breathable materials, such as the polyurethane nonwoven found in some tapes, as the carrier in a construction allows moisture vapor to escape. This helps maintain the skin’s health and ensures the adhesive bond remains stable and secure for the intended life of the device.
At Adhesives Research, we often recommend breathable double-coated tapes for CGM device assembly. These tapes provide a high bond strength for securing the device and are designed to prevent moisture from becoming trapped at the attachment site.
Managing Liquid and Ensuring a Secure Bond
Beyond moisture vapor, the adhesive system must also handle liquid moisture from daily activities like showering or exercising. Here, the tape’s construction and its chemistry play a large part. Patented UV-curable liquid adhesives, for example, can be used to create water-resistant bonds during device assembly. This ensures the internal components are sealed and that the bond between the device and the skin-contact adhesive is not weakened by water.
The skin-contact adhesive itself must be engineered to withstand these intermittent exposures to moisture without losing adhesion. The goal is to create a secure attachment that can last for weeks, with products like ARcare® 93690 specifically designed for 21-day wear on CGMs.
The choice of adhesive for a CGM is a design decision that directly impacts the device’s performance and the user’s quality of life. By focusing on breathable materials and skin-friendly adhesive chemistry, engineers can create a reliable bond that lasts, ensuring the device functions as intended from the first day to the last.
To explore the specific products and constructions available for CGM and other diabetes care applications, visit our Diabetes Care solutions page.
