Marathon Liquid Skin Protectant

When skin is broken, weeping, or too fragile for standard barrier creams, Medline Marathon offers something different: a cyanoacrylate-based liquid that polymerizes on contact to form a durable, protective film right over the compromised area. It's the go-to for painful wounds and high-friction spots where ordinary ointments simply wash away or wear off — think skin tears, peristomal skin, pressure areas, cracked fingertips, and the perianal region.

Unlike a moisturizer that sits on the surface, Marathon bonds to intact and denuded skin alike, sealing out moisture, stool, and urine while the tissue underneath is left to heal. A single application typically lasts up to 72 hours through washing and normal activity, so it's especially valued by caregivers managing incontinence-associated dermatitis and clinicians protecting periwound edges from maceration. Many users also report it takes the sting out of an open crack almost immediately once the film sets.

This collection carries the sterile 0.5 gram single-use vial (MSC093005), ideal for wound and periwound application, and the scented 0.5 mL applicator bottle (MSC093001), which makes controlled placement on smaller or hard-to-reach areas simpler. Both are single-patient-use to support infection-control practices — dab it on clean, dry skin, let it dry for about 30 seconds, and skip covering it with heavy occlusive products that could break the film down early.

Marathon works alongside a complete protective routine. Explore related options in Skin Care and Wound Care, or pair it with an appropriate advanced wound dressing for wounds needing coverage as well as barrier protection.