Quantifying Adhesive Residue on Skin Following Removal of Maxillofacial Prosthetic Adhesives: An In Vivo Study (ARMS)

This pilot interventional in vivo study is designed to quantitatively evaluate and compare the amount of adhesive residue left on the skin following removal of extraoral maxillofacial prosthetic adhesives. Adhesive-retained facial prostheses are widely used in maxillofacial rehabilitation; however, residual adhesive remaining on the skin after prosthesis removal may contribute to patient discomfort, skin irritation, and difficulty in daily prosthesis maintenance. Despite its clinical importance, adhesive residue has not been quantitatively evaluated in vivo.

Five commercially available maxillofacial prosthetic adhesives, including silicone-based and water-based formulations, will be evaluated using standardized silicone elastomer strips. Five healthy volunteers between 18 and 30 years of age will be recruited. Thirty test sites will be prepared on the volar surfaces of the forearms, with six sites allocated to each adhesive group through block randomization. Participants with skin diseases, adhesive allergies, systemic conditions affecting skin integrity, pregnancy, lactation, or recent skin injuries will be excluded.

Standardized silicone strips measuring 60 × 20 × 3 mm will be fabricated and coated with a uniform quantity of adhesive. After a drying period of 3 minutes, the strips will be applied to designated skin sites and maintained for 8 hours during normal daily activities. Following removal, the strips will be reweighed using a high-precision analytical balance. Adhesive residue remaining on the skin will be quantified using gravimetric analysis by calculating the percentage difference between initial and final strip weights.

The primary outcome measure is the percentage of adhesive residue remaining on the skin after removal of the prosthetic adhesive. Secondary objectives include assessment of adhesive failure modes and comparison of residue patterns between silicone-based and water-based adhesive systems.

To minimize bias, participant allocation sites will be randomized and both participants and investigators involved in application and evaluation procedures will remain blinded to adhesive identity. Statistical analysis will be performed using one-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc multiple comparison testing. The findings of this study may help clinicians select adhesive systems that optimize prosthesis retention while minimizing skin trauma and patient burden during long-term maxillofacial rehabilitation.