Transparent Double-Sided Adhesive Nanogel Tape: A Cost-Effective Method to Prevent Cross-Infection During Dermoscopic Examination

Clinical Problem Dermoscope is a dermatologist’s stethoscope used as a diagnostic aid for various dermatological conditions, including infections. During contact dermoscopy, the patient’s skin comes in to direct contact with the glass plate of the dermoscope. Cross-infection can be a problem with contact dermoscopy for patients and doctors, especially while performing for infections and infestations.[1] Newer dermoscopes like DermLite 4 and DermLite 5 are provided with a disposable snap-on IceCap system, which prevents cross-infection; however, these are not universally available. These icecaps are expensive and need to be replaced regularly. Previously, authors have used transparent adhesive tapes and disposable polythene covers of the suture for contact dermoscopy, but they do not stick well to the dermoscope or the skin.[2,3] We suggest a better and more economical solution for this problem using transparent double-sided adhesive nanogel tape. Solution We used transparent double-sided adhesive nanogel tape (6 × 6 cm), which comfortably accommodates the contact plates of the dermoscopes [Figure 1]. One side of the self-adhesive protective film of the nanogel tape is removed and pasted to the glass plate of the dermoscope, and similarly, the other side comes in contact with the skin. The nanotape prevents the direct contact of the dermoscope with the skin while performing contact dermoscopy. The advantages of nanotape are as follows: (1) It is easy to use and is removable and traceless, (2) it has strong stickiness and high transparency, (3) it can be cut to the desired size as required, (4) it is waterproof and oilproof and does not require any glue for adhesion, and (5) there was no change in structure visibility through the dermoscope. The thickness of the tape does not affect the quality of the image. The cost of nanotapes is lower compared to that of good cling film. However, nanotapes are more comfortable and come with self-adhesive properties, allowing for easy removal and use during dermoscopy, unlike cling films. Also, nanotapes provide better quality dermoscopic images. It is a cost-effective method of preventing cross-infection while performing contact dermoscopy [Figure 2].Figure 1: Demonstration of the use of the transparent double-sided adhesive nano gel tape in a case of verruca vulgarisFigure 2: Image of the verruca vulgaris with nano gel tape (Dermoscopy, 10x)Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.