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Health Issues Connected to The Use Of "Powdered Latex" Gloves

Latex gloves have long been a standard in the medical field to
protect healthcare workers and patients from infections and
disease transmission.

Yet, some people have noticed having allergic reactions after
using "powdered latex" gloves.

There have been a number of studies completed to determine the
adverse effects of powders that are used in making the medical
gloves. These studies reflect that some powders can cause
infections or adverse reactions in the patients being treated,
and in the healthcare worker who is wearing the powdered latex
gloves.

Science lives on the concept of "empirical" proof. "Empirical
proof" means that something is "verifiable or provable by means
of observation or experiment." An extended definition of
"empirical" is: "of or being a philosophy of medicine
emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientific
theory."

There has been shown empirical proof that the powder used in
latex gloves does contaminate wounds being treated, and that even
washing the powdered latex gloves is ineffective in preventing
this contamination. Peritoneal adhesions were also cited as
adverse effects of glove powder when treating patients. The
primary recommendation is to keep foreign bodies out of the
operative area, including glove powder. As a result, powder-free
gloves are recommended for open-wound treatments and surgeries.

Studies have also uncovered evidence of powder being left behind
on surgical instruments, after a person wearing the gloves
handled the instruments. Since it is suggested that the operative
area remain free of foreign particles, powder-free gloves are the
best kind to use.

Further studies have shown that gloves that use cornstarch as a
powder provide the least danger to a patient in regards to
causing an infection. In the past, talc has been widely, but
cornstarch has been proven to be much safer. The safest gloves,
however, are completely powder-free gloves.

Studies have also been completed on the risks of healthcare
workers inhaling the glove powder when performing examinations or
surgeries on patients. Since the early 1980's, there have been a
number of studies showing that glove powder, on latex gloves, can
cause respiratory complications and asthma-like attacks for the
healthcare workers.

It was believed that healthcare workers, who were exposed to
powdered-latex gloves on a regular basis and in large
concentrations, such as in an operating room, were more likely to
suffer from these respiratory complications. These studies were
quite thorough and even demonstrated that in one hospital where
all latex gloves were powder-free, there was a low prevalence of
respiratory complications for the healthcare providers.

Research also indicated that it was also possible for those not
wearing latex gloves to suffer from the respiratory
complications. Simply being in a room or confined area where
people are wearing the powdered latex gloves can result in
respiratory problems. Generally, those who experienced an
allergic reaction to latex were also more likely to also suffer
from the respiratory problems caused by the latex glove powder.

Another study showed that cornstarch powder on latex gloves could
negatively affect the skin of the wearer. This is because
cornstarch naturally absorbs moisture, including the moisture
from the wearer's skin. The resulting tendency is to have dry
and cracked skin, which can lead to a higher likelihood of
infections, because the natural barrier of the skin has been
broken down.

As you can see, there are many reasons that some healthcare
workers are turning to powder-free latex gloves. It is probably
most important to use powder-free gloves during surgeries and
when working with open wounds, so that the powder does not cause
an infection or complication for the patient.

If you are a healthcare provider or other type of worker, who
wears gloves on a daily basis, it may be a good idea to use
powder-free latex gloves as often as possible. This will decrease
the chances of suffering from respiratory complications and
irritated skin that becomes dry and cracked as a result of
wearing powdered gloves on a regular basis.

There are many powder-free gloves available on the market that
has been shown to be just as effective against preventing the
transmission of diseases and infections as their powdered
counterparts. Powder-free exam gloves may be slightly more
expensive though, since removing the powder from the gloves adds
another step to the production process.

The slight added cost is thought to be well worth it, because of
the benefits that are offered to the patients and to the
healthcare providers who wear the powder-free gloves on a daily
basis.

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Davin Abernathy writes about medical equipment and medical
products. http://www.DonTheGlove.com is the online division of
Handgards Inc, a 45 year old company specializing in disposable
medical gloves, including powder-free and powdered latex gloves
( http://www.dontheglove.com/latexgloves/ ).  If you thought this
article was helpful, you may explore additional articles about
latex gloves in the resource center at:
http://www.dontheglove.com/latexgloves/

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