Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
General product information from the manufacturer’s published materials, not medical advice. Wound closure decisions belong to the treating clinician.
Short answer
Dermabond Prineo is a skin closure system from Johnson & Johnson MedTech that pairs a sterile liquid topical adhesive with a self-adhering mesh, offered as an alternative to sutures or staples for closing skin. The manufacturer states the device stays in place for about 7 to 14 days before it falls off naturally. “Prineo” is the mesh-plus-adhesive system; the original “Dermabond” is an adhesive-only product with a different regulatory history.
Definition and scope
According to the manufacturer’s product page, Dermabond Prineo is a sterile, liquid topical adhesive paired with a self-adhering mesh. Two product codes are listed, CLR222US and CLR602US. The product page directs readers to the full package insert for indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions, and that insert, not this page, governs use.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists the Dermabond Prineo Skin Closure System in its 510(k) premarket notification records, for example K213512 (decision date 7 December 2021, product code OMD, regulation 878.4011). The original Dermabond adhesive followed a different route: premarket approval (PMA) P960052, approved 26 August 1998. Prineo is therefore not a PMA device.
How the system is used in practice
The manufacturer’s instructions for use (copyright Johnson & Johnson AG, 2025) describe a sequence at a general level. The skin edges must be closely approximated before the mesh goes on. The mesh holds the edges in alignment, and the liquid adhesive is then applied over it. The instructions state not to apply a second coat. The applicator is single-use and is activated by twisting a purple dial.
The instructions say the device is designed to slough off naturally, or it can be removed by following the manufacturer’s removal instructions. After placement, the instructions advise against applying ointments, lotions or liquids to the device. They allow a brief wetting in the shower if the clinician directs it, but not soaking or scrubbing, and no swimming or prolonged immersion in water. This page does not reproduce application or removal steps; clinicians should work from the current instructions for use.
Types and related concepts
Mesh and adhesive: the two parts of the system
| Component | What the documents say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Self-adhering mesh | Applied to the closely approximated skin edges before the liquid adhesive | Manufacturer instructions for use |
| Liquid topical adhesive | Sterile liquid adhesive applied over the mesh, one coat only | Manufacturer product page and instructions for use |
| Applicator | Single-use; activated by twisting a purple dial | Manufacturer instructions for use |
Dermabond, Prineo and sutures or staples
| Item | Form | U.S. regulatory route |
|---|---|---|
| Original Dermabond | Liquid topical skin adhesive | PMA P960052, approved 26 August 1998 |
| Dermabond Prineo | Mesh plus liquid adhesive | 510(k) clearance (for example K213512, 2021) |
The manufacturer presents Prineo as an alternative to sutures and staples. For how the mechanical option works, see the guide to surgical stapler types.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
Staff who stock or specify closure products can use the manufacturer’s instructions for use as a checklist of where the product is not intended. The instructions state:
- Do not use in patients with known hypersensitivity to cyanoacrylate, formaldehyde, benzalkonium chloride or pressure-sensitive adhesive.
- Do not use on mucosal surfaces or across mucocutaneous junctions, such as the oral cavity or lips.
- Do not use on skin regularly exposed to body fluids, or on dense natural hair such as the scalp.
- Not for high skin-tension areas or joints such as knuckles, elbows and knees, unless the area is immobilized or the tension is removed by another closure device such as sutures or staples.
Other points that bear on record-keeping and patient education, all from the manufacturer’s documents: there are two listed product codes (CLR222US, CLR602US); the applicator is single-use; the manufacturer states the device remains intact for 7 to 14 days; and the patient-care restrictions above (no ointments, lotions or liquids on the device, no soaking or swimming) are part of the instructions. Related supply pages on casrai.org include the ambulatory surgery center supply checklist, gauze, medical tape and bandages. For adhesive skin reactions in general, see hypoallergenic vs standard medical tape.
Common misunderstandings
- “Prineo and Dermabond are the same thing.” Prineo is a system of mesh plus adhesive; the original Dermabond is an adhesive-only product approved through a separate pathway (PMA P960052).
- “It is a glue that works anywhere on the skin.” The instructions exclude mucosal surfaces, mucocutaneous junctions, dense hair, skin exposed to body fluids and high-tension or joint sites unless tension is otherwise removed.
- “A second coat adds strength.” The instructions say not to apply a second coat.
- “It must be taken off on a schedule.” The manufacturer says it is designed to slough off naturally, with removal instructions available when removal is needed.
FAQ
What is Prineo?
Prineo is the mesh component and system name in Dermabond Prineo, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech skin closure system that combines a self-adhering mesh with a sterile liquid topical adhesive.
How long does it stay in place?
The manufacturer’s product page says the device remains intact for 7 to 14 days before naturally falling off.
Is it approved or cleared by the FDA?
FDA premarket notification (510(k)) records list the Dermabond Prineo Skin Closure System, for example under K213512 (2021). The original Dermabond adhesive was approved separately under PMA P960052 in 1998.
Sources
- Johnson & Johnson MedTech, DERMABOND PRINEO skin closure system product page, https://www.jnjmedtech.com/en-US/product/dermabond-prineo-skin-closure-system, checked 30 October 2026.
- Johnson & Johnson, DERMABOND PRINEO instructions for use / quick guide (PDF, 2025), https://www.jnj.com/CH/download/Instructions%20DERMABOND%5ETM%20PRINEO%5ETM.pdf, checked 30 October 2026.
- U.S. FDA, 510(k) premarket notification database record K213512, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm?ID=K213512, checked 30 October 2026.
- U.S. FDA, premarket approval database, P960052 (Dermabond), approved 26 August 1998, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpma/pma.cfm?id=P960052, checked 30 October 2026.
