Medical gloves help prevent cross-contamination between patients and their caregivers, as well as provide protection against dangerous chemicals and bacteria. For maximum protection, it is important to both choose the right gloves and use them properly.
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How to Choose
When buying disposable gloves, there are many different options available to suit different needs. The level of protection, comfort, durability and more all vary between the types of gloves, which include latex gloves, nitrile gloves and vinyl gloves. With so many choices, the decision can get overwhelming, so let’s break it down and get an idea of why there are so many different types, to begin with. Once you understand this, the process of choosing gloves will be much easier.
Medical gloves are usually made from polymers such as latex, vinyl and nitrile, although you may find disposable gloves made of other materials, such as neoprene. The following is a quick comparison of nitrile vs. latex vs. vinyl gloves, including the differences in design and their unique benefits.
Latex gloves are often preferred by healthcare providers since they provide the best service when it comes to elasticity, comfort and fit. Surgeons in particular benefit from latex gloves since they are great for sensitive work, since they offer more precision with high tactile sensitivity.
Despite its advantages, latex gloves have become an issue for many health professionals due to the increasing rate of latex allergies, and many are choosing to go with non-latex glove options such as vinyl and nitrile gloves instead.
Vinyl gloves, which are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), are usually the cheapest latex-free gloves. However, many prefer to use higher-end gloves such as nitrile gloves. Nitrile gloves are often preferred since these non-latex gloves best resemble the stretchy feel of latex gloves, and are also highly durable and puncture resistant.
Another difference to consider when deciding between latex and latex-free gloves is the protection offered by each type of material. In general, latex gloves offer the best protection against bacteria and viruses, while synthetic gloves provide better chemical protection. Of the different types of latex-free gloves, nitrile gloves offer a higher degree of protection against viruses, besides the chemical protection they provide.
Glove Options
Now that we have a better understanding of the different materials of disposable gloves and their individual advantages, let’s explore the more specific options available. Each one of these options is intended to provide specific benefits for different uses. In order to choose the right glove type for the intended use, it’s important to understand what these advantages are.
Powder-free gloves can be more expensive due to the process that needs to be done to remove the powder coating from the glove. However, gloves that are powder-free reduce the cause of allergies by lowering protein and chemical content. In addition, powder-free gloves are ‘cleaner’ to use than powdered gloves, since they don’t leave any residue on clothing or other surfaces.
Powdered gloves are usually lubricated with cornstarch, which makes them much easier to put on. Cornstarch coatings have replaced other powdering options such as lycopodium powder and talc because these other coating types have been found to irritate tissue. Nevertheless, even cornstarch can impede healing when coming into contact with tissues, so powder-free gloves are often preferred for surgeries and other sensitive procedures.
If you choose to use gloves that are powder-free, you’ll need to decide if you want to use chlorinated or non-chlorinated gloves.
For those who don’t want to use powdered gloves but want the advantages that come with that type of glove, chlorinated gloves are powder-free gloves that are treated with chlorine to make them easy to put on. These gloves are also particle free to avoid allergic reactions caused by soluble proteins. Chlorinated gloves are more commonly used than non-chlorinated gloves, although some prefer gloves that have a more neutral color and less of an odor. Another disadvantage of chlorinated gloves is their shorter shelf life: after about a year, chlorinated gloves become brittle, and when exposed to heat, these gloves may last even less than a year.
Non-chlorinated gloves, on the other hand, are closer in color to regular exam gloves and contain no chlorine odor. However, these gloves are not very popular since they are hard to put on, and are not particle free, since a ‘gel coat’ of tiny gel/silicone particles is added to make them slightly easier to don.
Both surgical and exam gloves are medical-grade gloves for use during medical procedures.
Medical exam gloves can be used for patient examinations and blood tests. These gloves are also used as general purpose gloves for managing incontinence, everyday spills and messes in and around the home.
Surgical gloves are used by surgeons and operating room nurses. These disposable gloves must meet higher quality standards, and are usually sterile since they are used for surgical procedures. Surgical gloves offer better fit with more precise sizing, as well as higher tactile sensitivity.
Chemo gloves are medical gloves that have been tested for use with chemotherapy drugs. When selecting chemo tested gloves, care must be taken to ensure that the gloves have been tested for the specific drugs being used.
Some options that care for the caregiver include gloves with aloe or oatmeal. Gloves with a heat-activated aloe coating soothe and moisturize hands during use. Hardworking hands can also benefit from the extra care provided by gloves that contain colloidal oatmeal skin protectants, which helps maintain the skin’s moisture barrier, thereby preventing and protecting dry skin.
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In addition to the options listed above, there are other considerations when buying gloves. For example, different gloves are made with different finishes. Some gloves have a smooth finish, while others are partially or fully textured to provide better grip. Another consideration is the type of cuff the glove has. Most gloves are beaded for easier removal, and some gloves have an extended cuff for better coverage and protection.
When used and removed properly, disposable gloves offer excellent protection against contamination. Follow the instructions below to get the most out of glove-wearing.
Choose a glove that fits well and is designed for the intended use.
Check each glove for rips and punctures.
Gloves should never replace proper hand-washing. Always wash and dry hands before putting on a pair of gloves.
Put gloves on. While wearing disposable gloves, do not touch phones, doorknobs or the like.
Never wash or reuse disposable gloves. In any of the following situations, be sure to remove gloves, wash and dry hands and don a fresh pair of gloves:
When removing gloves, it is important to follow proper glove removal techniques such as the one shown below to avoid contamination from the outside of the gloves.
Double-gloving, or wearing two layers of gloves, is known to provide significantly better protection against inner glove perforation, which lowers the risk of infection that can be caused by punctures or penetration.
If you own a nursing home, day care center or clinic, you can encourage employees to wear gloves consistently by providing a full range of sizes so all staff members can find a comfortable fit, as well as having enough dispensers throughout your facility so that a new pair of gloves is always accessible.
Disclaimer: No information presented on this website is medical advice or intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician. All information on this website concerning medical conditions is from publicly available sources.
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While the world of disposable gloves is expansive, not all gloves are created equally. With any glove, thickness has a surprising impact on the kinds of jobs it can handle. The thickness of gloves comes down to the thickness of their materials, which determines the amount of protection they can give — be it nitrile, vinyl, or latex.
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Disposable gloves come in a range of thicknesses, so what kind should you choose? In a quick glance, with thin gloves, you lose greater protection but gain a lighter glove that provides more tactile sensitivity. With thicker material, you get an extremely durable glove and safer handling of hazardous materials.
Today’s blog post takes a look at thickness is best for disposable gloves, be it nitrile gloves or latex gloves.
Wearing the wrong gloves can affect the job you are doing, so choosing the best disposable gloves for the job is a big decision. Industrial and exam grade gloves have different needs, materials, thickness, and permeability. When purchasing disposable nitrile gloves for your use, it’s important to determine what your task is, what kind of gloves you need, and be guided by those requirements.
The appropriate gloves for your task make all the difference when completing a task. Whether you choose a nitrile glove or latex gloves, you must consider your requirement first. Hence, a 3-mil glove may be lighter than the four mils or five mils, but in practice, they feel just as sturdy—just be sure they are the correct thickness for your use. The same could go for the four mils versus the five mils—you don’t want a glove that is too heavy for your specific process.
For example, thin latex gloves, such as those worn by surgeons, allow for greater dexterity, flexibility, and sense of touch. However, they are not durable enough to withstand the heavy use required in certain occupations, such as manufacturing which calls for thicker nitrile gloves.
???? Shop Nitrile Gloves and save up to 50% today!Disposable gloves have many use cases, but these factors should help you decide what thickness works best for you. For a nitrile glove that pairs a balance between comfort and protection, people may want to opt for a midweight option. If a strong, puncture-resistant glove is the top priority, then a heavy-duty version might be necessary. But if you are looking for an economical option that will perform very specific tasks without sacrificing tactile sensitivity, thin latex or nitrile gloves may be right for you.
The important takeaway is that there are multiple options to consider; don’t let the rumor of disposable nitrile gloves being inherently thick, deter you from using these versatile gloves for everything from working in your garden to keeping safe as you clean up after an oil spill. Thick and thin gloves each have their own pros and cons, but at the end of the day, it is a matter of appropriateness to the task you are about to take.
Mil in gloves is a measurement that indicates the thickness of the glove material, expressed in thousandths of an inch. This measurement is crucial for determining the glove’s durability, flexibility, and overall protective capabilities. For example, a glove with a 4 mil thickness is thinner, offering greater dexterity and tactile sensitivity, which is essential for tasks requiring precision, such as medical procedures or detailed assembly work.
On the other hand, a glove with an 8 mil thickness is much thicker and provides robust protection against punctures, abrasions, and chemical exposure, making it ideal for heavy-duty industrial environments. Understanding mil thickness allows users to choose the right glove for their specific needs, balancing protection with comfort and functionality.
When selecting gloves, it’s important to consider the specific requirements of the task at hand. Gloves with a lower mil thickness may be sufficient for light-duty tasks where sensitivity and flexibility are key, but they may not offer the necessary protection in more hazardous conditions.
In America, glove thickness is usually expressed in mils, or thousandths of an inch. Contrary to popular belief, a mil is not the same as a millimeter—it's a unit of thickness equal to one-thousandth (.001) of an inch.
However, other countries use Micro Meters (Microns), a unit of length equal to one-millionth of a metre. So if you are in another country shopping for disposable gloves, the number of microns indicated is its level of thickness.
Disposable gloves generally range from 4-15 mils thick. While the current glove standard is 3 mil thick and premium ones are 5 mil or more, but they will need to be measured at the wrist, fingertips, and palm. Low-numbered gloves provide greater dexterity, flexibility and sense of touch than high-numbered gloves. High-numbered gloves provide greater durability, but lower flexibility than low-numbered gloves.
These gloves are most often used for light-duty tasks. They are also economical and are suited to any food-prep tasks where you constantly need to change gloves.
Gloves with a thickness of 3 mils or less are suited for jobs that do not require strong protection from chemicals or hazardous materials. Such gloves are preferred for applications requiring frequent glove changes in food service, janitorial, and salon & beauty applications.
Thicker gloves, those measuring 4 mil to 6 mil, are created with more material and stronger materials and so can withstand greater tension. These are usually a nitrile glove and are a good choice for general duty and for heavier duty uses involving tools and machinery.
???? Shop 6 Mil Nitrile Gloves today and save up to 50%Those gloves rated 8 mils and above are suited for heavy-duty work and specialized tasks, given that the higher is the mil thickness, the more rigid the glove.
???? Shop 8 Mil Nitrile Gloves today and save up to 50%Meanwhile, disposable nitrile gloves usually range in thickness from 4 mils to 8 mils, with the majority of heavy-duty industrial and laboratory grade nitrile gloves ranging from 6 to 8 mils thick. The thicker the nitrile glove, the higher level of protection.
Heavy-duty nitrile gloves provide a longer permeation time when working with chemicals and more tear resistance than thinner light-duty or medical grade gloves.
However, keep in mind that the thickness of a nitrile glove or a latex one varies from one part of the hand to another. This means glove thickness is not uniform across the whole glove. Glove manufacturers rate glove thickness based on the amount of material at the fingers and palm, while also considering the rigidity of the material throughout the rest of the glove.
Gloves are usually made by dipping hand-formers into liquid material with the fingers pointing downward. As they begin drying, the law of gravity applies as solution is pulled downward: Fingertips are thicker than wrists, with palms somewhere in the middle.
When you see a nitrile glove labeled 4 mil, that measurement is usually based on the thickness in the fingertips, which makes sense since your fingers are most likely to do the handling and thus are most susceptible to puncturing and tearing when wearing the disposable glove. This applies for all disposable gloves including nitrile gloves and latex.
Gloves become more costly as they become thicker, as this process requires more material and manpower. Meanwhile, resistance from chemical hazards varies with thickness. The thicker the glove, the stronger the resistance against chemical hazards, but dexterity is reduced.
If you find that a nitrile glove has ripped, the first thing to ask is whether you are wearing the correct size. Most gloves have an Acceptable Quality Limit, or AQL rating, which indicates an acceptable percentage of ripped gloves in any one batch.
Many users rip disposable glove not because the nitrile glove is too thin, but because they are trying to force his or her hand into a glove that is too small.
You probably wonder if a thick glove can cause allergy. The answer is no. Allergic reactions are usually caused by the material and hence, glove manufacturers offer latex free gloves as well as powder free gloves in both nitrile and vinyl options.
Cornstarch powder-coated gloves are easier to put on and prevent gloves from sticking together. However, they may cling to the wearer's skin and cause sensitivities or allergies.
Powder-free nitrile gloves undergo a process known as chlorination in which they are treated with a chlorine solution, rinsed with water, and dried to remove most of the powdered residue and latex proteins. Powder-free nitrile gloves can be harder to remove quickly and may decrease the firm grip, but they are more sanitary. They also tend to be more expensive than powdered gloves because of extra steps involved in the chlorination process.
We hope that these insights into the benefits of each glove thickness will help you make an informed decision about your particular needs and tasks.
If you’re looking for a consistent, strong glove to stand up to punctures and tears during regular work with chemical or sharp objects, or just some extra durability, then the thick nitrile gloves or latex glove is worth considering. If you need a more flexible and cost-effective glove, then the thin choice may be a better choice.
Either way, disposable nitrile gloves are usually great options in their own right, so go ahead and make the choice that’s right for you.
At the end of the day, it is important to choose the best gloves that are right for the job. We should not rely on size or thickness as the only way to guide these choices. A combination of the fabric type, thickness, and application will ensure success in any situation when using a nitrile or latex glove.
When it comes to purchasing gloves that meet your specific needs, gloves.com stands out as the best option. With a wide range of gloves available in varying thicknesses and materials, they cater to every requirement, whether you need lightweight gloves for tasks requiring precision or heavy-duty gloves for more demanding applications. gloves.com offers high-quality products that ensure durability, protection, and comfort, making them the go-to source for disposable gloves.
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