Types of medical gloves and their uses

Medical gloves are used as personal protective equipment that protects wearer and/or the patient from the spread of disease or infection during medical treatments and inspections. These are disposable gloves & include examination gloves, surgical gloves, and medical gloves for handling chemotherapy agents (chemotherapy gloves). 

There are two main types of disposable medical gloves - exam and surgical; each having its specific purpose.  Medical gloves are specified by their material – nitrile, latex, and vinyl.  To choose the right medical glove, you can even look for further details as they are also available in powdered, non-powdered, sterile, non-sterile, textured, or coated.

Exam Gloves & Surgical Gloves

Exam gloves are used by caregivers and healthcare people for general purposes to protect themselves from contamination during treatment or check-up. These gloves are inexpensive and feel good to wear during unsanitary conditions.

On the other hand, surgeons and nurses wear advanced surgical gloves that are specifically designed for surgeries & handling high-level treatments to improve accuracy and sensitivity. 

Let’s understand them in a little detail.

Latex Medical Gloves

Disposable latex exam gloves are there in the healthcare industry for 100 good years and have been the most preferred choice for good reason. As they provide comfort and durability, they are unmatched in terms of “touch” sensitivity and adjustment.

The procedure of manufacturing these gloves is simple, and the raw latex material is developed using chemical compounds. This has an impact on the tensile strength of the glove which means the maximum strength that can be applied to it before it breaks & flexibility. It plays an important role in analyzing the final quality.

Vinyl medical gloves

These gloves are made from the synthetic material polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and because they do not contain latex, these gloves are a good substitute for latex medical gloves for people who have allergies.

Although they are comfortable to wear and offer standard barrier safety, it is recommended that they shouldn’t be used in high-risk or unsafe situations, such as when dealing with chemotherapy drugs. Still, they are preferred & used in most situations within a hospital or care environment. It is very significant to check the quality of vinyl gloves, as levels may vary.

Nitrile medical gloves

Nitrile gloves are non-latex gloves & are becoming increasingly prominent amongst medical and care professionals. It is preferred by most healthcare professionals.

These synthetic examination gloves act as an effective barrier against blood-borne pathogens. Nitrile gloves are resilient, three times more puncture-resistant in comparison to normal latex gloves, & are chemical resistant in nature.

Surgical gloves, worn by surgeons and other health professionals, having direct contact with blood, infections, sharp tools, and other harmful items and materials that could cause severe infection must be of high quality.

Nitrile surgical gloves are preferred by many surgeons for their extreme strength and puncture resistance features. But, not all nitrile gloves provide the same level of safety. Variations in thickness and formulation exist, so always check with the manufacturer before use.

SMB, India's Largest Online Medical & Hospital Products Store manufactures all types of medical gloves – whether nitrile non-sterile gloves, sterile surgical gloves, or examination gloves according to the usage.