Wearable Skin Adhesives Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Acrylic-based, Silicone-based), By Application (Diagnostic Devices, Monitoring Devices), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global wearable skin adhesives market was valued at USD 364.7 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% from 2023 to 2030. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer is the major factor driving the demand for wearable skin adhesives. The rise in obesity, technological advancements, and new product launches are also leading to a rise in the sales of wearable skin adhesives.

While most markets observed a sharp fall in sales due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the market witnessed a significant rise in sales. Factors such as an increased number of patients with chronic conditions being at a higher risk of getting severely infected with the disease led to a large number of people monitoring their health vitals. Moreover, COVID-19 created a sudden urge amongst individuals to focus on fitness and their physical health to avoid experiencing severe effects of the disease and any similar situations in the future.

With the world still being traumatized due to the huge loss of human life, individuals are now more than ever focusing on their physical health post-pandemic. This offers lucrative growth opportunities for the market. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the inadequacies of the current public health system and demonstrated that flexible, sustainable investments in public health are critical. This has resulted in many governments making huge investments in the healthcare and R&D sectors. This will further soar the market growth over the forecast period. 

The increasing prevalence of chronic conditions in developed and developing countries is majorly driving the market. Reduced physical activity and increasing consumption of fast foods or processed foods are major risk factors that can lead to the development of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. According to a research article published in 2018 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, approximately one in three of all adults suffer from multiple chronic conditions (MCCs).

The rising obese population is another key factor driving the demand for wearable skin adhesives. According to the CDC, people who are overweight are at a higher risk of developing many serious conditions and diseases as compared to those with a healthy weight. According to the WHO’s estimates, 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020. It also suggested that most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kill more than underweight.

Product Insights

The silicone-based segment held the largest share of over 50.0% in 2022 due to its wide usage ranging from sensitive to delicate skin types. Silicone is easy to use and causes little to no pain while removing it. Moreover, it is long-lasting due to its chemical stability and resistance to weathering and moisture. Silicone-based adhesives also form a strong long-lasting bond, making them an ideal option in most cases. This is why manufacturers in the market are constantly working on launching new silicone-based products in the market.

For instance, in December 2020, 3M announced the launch of its new product line of next-generation silicone adhesives for medical devices. These products were designed to ensure longer wear time, support heavier devices, and offer more secure adhesion. The acrylic-based segment is expected to witness the maximum growth over the forecast period owing to the availability of both vent and water-based acrylic products. These are usually used in many medical fixations and deep wound dressings.

Application Insights

The monitoring devices segment accounted for the largest share of over 40.0% in 2022 owing to the increasing demand for these devices as a result of the growing prevalence of chronic diseases. According to an article “Commentary on Chronic Disease Prevention in 2022” published by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, 60% of adult Americans have at least one chronic disease. The article also stated that 40% of American adults have multiple chronic conditions. Thus, this growing prevalence of chronic conditions demands affected individuals to keep a track of their health conditions in order to avoid any serious health damage and reduce the risk of being seriously ill.

The diagnostic devices segment is projected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period as many patches and tapes are being introduced in the market to diagnose the sugar level of diabetic patients. For instance, according to the article published in September 2020, scientists in Japan developed a paper-based sensor equipped with an array of extremely tiny microneedles, which can painlessly penetrate human skin for a fast and easy method of conducting diagnostic tests for conditions such as pre-diabetes.

End-use Insights

The hospitals segment dominated the market with a share of over 45.0% in 2022. Increased preference of individuals in most cases to visit a hospital setting for diagnosis or treatment purposes as compared to other settings is fueling the segment growth. Ambulatory surgical centers have been gaining popularity over the years. However, due to the availability of a wide range of experts and specialists in the hospitals, it continues to dominate the market and a similar trend will be observed over the forecast period.

The home care settings segment is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period owing to the increasing adoption of these products in the homecare settings to monitor vital health parameters. These devices are easy-to-use, making them very convenient for users without the help of a healthcare professional. In addition, ambulatory surgical centers will observe significant growth owing to the increasing number of surgeries and other services being carried out in this setting.

Regional Insights

North America accounted for the largest share of over 35.0% in 2022 owing to factors such as the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, favorable reimbursement scenario, and well-established healthcare structure in this region. According to the CDC, 90% of the U.S.’ $3.8 trillion per year healthcare costs can be attributed to people with chronic diseases and mental health conditions. Heart disease and stroke are responsible for $216 billion in healthcare system costs and $147 billion in lost job productivity.

Asia Pacific is projected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period owing to a large patient pool, a growing geriatric population, a shift towards sedentary lifestyle, and increasing healthcare expenditure. According to the International Diabetes Federation, in 2021, 90 million adults were living with diabetes in the South-East Asia Region and this figure is estimated to increase to 113 million by 2030. It also stated that USD 10 billion was spent on healthcare for people with diabetes in 2021, which is the second lowest among all the other regions.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key players manufacturing wearable skin adhesives are focusing on strengthening their presence in the market through various strategic initiatives. Major players in the market are focusing on carrying out activities such as acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations, and new product launches. This is not only helping them in extending their product portfolio but is also enabling the companies to establish a strong market position and widen their geographical reach. For instance, in April 2021, 3M launched its new Silicone adhesive, which helps improve medical devices intended for people with fragile skin.

Furthermore, in order to meet the growing demand for adhesives, manufacturers in the market are also focusing on expanding their manufacturing capabilities. In April 2021, Scapa Healthcare announced new enhancements at its Hydrocolloid Technology Center in Orangeburg, New York. The company is making significant investments to meet growing customer demand for premium medical-grade hydrocolloid adhesive technologies globally. Some prominent players in the global wearable skin adhesives market include:

• 3M

• Scapa Group

• Dow Corning

• H.B. Fuller

• Adhesives Research

• Henkel AG & Co. KGA

• Vancive Medical Technologies

• Polymer Science, Inc.

• Lohmann GMbH & Co.KG

• Adhezion Biomedical

Wearable Skin Adhesives Market Report Scope

Global Wearable Skin Adhesives Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global wearable skin adhesives market report based on product, application, end-use, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Acrylic-based

  • Silicone-based

  • Others 

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Diagnostic Devices

  • Monitoring Devices

  • Drug Delivery Devices

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Hospitals

  • Ambulatory Surgical Centers

  • Home Care Settings

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

  • U.S.

  • Canada

  • Europe

  • Germany

  • U.K.

  • France

  • Italy

  • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

  • China

  • Japan

  • India

  • Latin America

  • Brazil

  • Mexico

  • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

  • South Africa

  • Saudi Arabia

  • UAE