What are the Different Types of Vial Seals?

Now that we’ve talked about the different kinds of vials available on the market along with the crimpers and crimping tools that are available for you to use, it only makes sense that we move on to the different kinds of vial seals. Vial seals come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and price ranges. When selecting the vial seals that would be perfect for your use case or operation, consider that as with most medical/laboratory products, quality definitely matters. The cheapest price isn’t always the best answer just as the most expensive price doesn’t always mean a superior product. Before it comes to that, however, you need to understand the different options available to you and what each of them would be used for. Let’s take a look at the most common vial seals available on the market and what you may or may not want to use them for. Center Tear Vial Seals – Some of the cheaper options when it comes to seals, the center tear vial seals are created with a one piece crimp center section that is completely tear able. Ripping off the center section will allow you to access the stopper. These vial seals are ideal for short-term injection use. Flip Off Vial Seals – Often a little more expensive that the aforementioned center tear seal, flip off vials incorporate that same tearing method wielded by the center tear vial seals. Flipping off the cap will cause the center section of the crimped piece to tear off to reveal the stopper. Flip off vial seals protect the center tear section, providing for extra contamination protection and durability. Flip off-Tear off Vial Seals – These are extremely similar to the regular flip off vial seals except nothing is left behind. A clean tear removes the entire crimped piece, removing all doubt about debris getting in the vial or in your way when it comes time for injection administration. Full Tear Off Vial Seals – The crimp doesn’t bother putting a center perforation that you rip off. Instead, the entire seal gets ripped off, much like it would with the flip off-tear off vial seals. The lack of cap can increase chances of contamination but decreases the total vial weight. These tend to be a little cheaper than the flip off-tear offs. Plain Flip Cap Vial Seals – Not really used to top off injection vials. These tend to be used to hold film or medication in the proper containers. Cheaper than the more impressive superior flip cap vials, they’re made to be used in a safe environment to protect the container’s contents from dust and debris. Superior Flip Cap Vial Seals – A little heavier duty than the plain flip cap vial seals, the superior flip cap seals unsurprisingly cost more. Used for protection of containers and vials that will be banged around in a rough environment, the superior flip cap vial seals are likely going to hold up better than the actual containers they’re attached to. Note: The listed types of vials can be ordered in a multitude of size and color options.