Are you using the correct gloves? Do you know which type of gloves to use? Know more about medical gloves
Using gloves was a vital part of all the medical professionals and now that coronavirus has come into the scenario is has become bothersome everyone. All the professionals are confused about which gloves to use and in what situation to use. Whereas it is very important to wear the right protective gloves.
Let’s discuss the medical gloves, their properties, and their pros & cons.
The most common gloves used by the doctors are Latex, Nitrile & Vinyl gloves. However, all the gloves have their own specifications and could be used in various situations.
Latex or Natural Rubber Latex Gloves
Latex gloves are made out of natural rubber collected from the trees which makes them stretchable and sit properly on any hand size. Latex gloves are cost-effective and biodegradable which adds a plus to the preferences of choosing latex gloves over any other gloves. There are both powdered and powder-free gloves.
Pros:
- Made up of natural rubber
- Stretchable
- Fits all hand size
- Cost-effective
- Bio-degradable
Cons:
- Low shelf life
- Could be allergic to a few people
Natural Rubber Latex gloves are mostly used as examination gloves or as surgeon gloves
Nitrile Gloves:
Nitrile gloves are synthetic gloves. It has a combination of plastic and synthetic making it thick and comfortable for long procedures. Nitrile gloves are mostly used for performing tests which include the usage of oils, solvents, fiber proteins, etc. These gloves are best for people who are allergic to latex and are stronger to the needle pricks or abrasions. However, nitrile gloves give higher protection compared to other gloves which make is high on the cost.
Pro:
- Long shelf rate
- Thick material makes it puncture resistant
- High-level barrier protection
- Protein-free
- Best for testing purpose which involves oil, solvents, acids or highly reactive material
Cons:
- Non-bio-degradable
- Dissolves when in contact with acetone
- No powder-free option available
- Tear in the glove further tears quickly
- Expensive compared to other gloves
Vinyl Gloves:
Vinyl gloves are mainly used for examination purposes only as they are not long-lasting. The plastic content of the vinyl gloves makes them less elastic which results in easy damage and less comfortable. Vinly gloves are also used for handling biohazardous materials and for non-aseptic procedures.
Pros:
- Cost-effective
- Sensitive to touch
- Made up of PCV
- Latex-free
Cons:
- Not durable
- Low-tensile strength
The gloves come in two variants i.e
- Powdered
- Powder-free
Powdered Gloves are cornstarch coated making it easy to wear and take-off. But with powdered gloves, the issues arise when the health caretaker is wounded, the cornstarch or the powdered used may cause infection or sometimes make irritate the skin if used for long hours. The powdered gloves delay the natural healing of the skin, this issue brought in to the invention of powder-free gloves making it comfortable for the caretakers.
Sterile or Non-Sterile also comes into a scenario when the gloves are worn by health caretakers. Sterile gloves are mostly used for surgical procedures but the quality considerably low as compared to non-sterile gloves. However, sterile gloves are more costly as compared to non-sterile gloves.
Choose your best! Get the gloves that suit you and your purpose.