Medical Protective Gloves: Popular Materials Used, Different Types, and More

By Your Health Magazine

One thing that remains in every doctor and nurse’s arsenal is disposable medical gloves. According to the FDA, this personal protective equipment keeps the wearer safe from contaminants. It also protects them from getting exposed to microorganisms that could cause illnesses and infections.

The glove market has always been a vital healthcare segment. Even then, the increasing awareness of infection control, safety, and hygiene drives growth. Hence, many manufacturers have introduced different types of medical gloves that serve unique functions.

Want to know more about such aspects? This blog post will delve deeper into the medical protective gloves industry, different types, and more.

3 Types of Materials Used to Manufacture Medical Gloves

According to Curio Dental, doctors, especially dentists, should be introduced to a curated selection of puncture-resistant, powder-free, and medical-grade gloves. With these, they can enhance patient care quality and save money.

To get the best products, medical professionals can check out the different materials used to manufacture such gloves. Choose wisely if there’s an issue with sensitive skin.

#1. Latex

Latex is considered the most resilient, elastic, and form-fitting glove material. This is also biodegradable, as it’s manufactured from rubber trees. Most robust latex gloves are tear-resistant and provide touch sensitivity.

Moreover, medical institutions use latex because of its high flexibility and comfort. The material also protects doctors from bodily fluids, viruses, and bacteria.

Earlier, latex gloves used to come with powder for better maneuverability. However, the FDA issued a ban in 2016, claiming that the powder caused airway inflammation and hypersensitivity reactions.

#2. Nitrile

About 1/100 people have a latex allergy. For these individuals, powder-free nitrile would be perfect. Good-quality medical nitrile gloves are made from synthetic rubber that’s super resistant to punctures and offers a snug fit.

A nitrile glove can be used in medium- and high-risk examinations due to its durability. Hence, dentists prefer using gloves made from this material. The government also aims to purchase over 55 million boxes of nitrile examination gloves to increase domestic availability.

#3. Vinyl

These don’t contain any latex but are less puncture-resistant. Sometimes, they don’t fit as snugly as other gloves. Vinyl gloves are non-biodegradable, giving them a longer shelf life. If used harshly, the glove can split, compromising the protective integrity.

That’s why these are used in low-risk examinations where there’s no possibility of contamination with blood or bodily fluids.

What Are the Different Types of Medical Gloves?

After understanding the different materials, it’s time to know about the different types of gloves medical professionals can use:

Surgical Gloves

These are sterile gloves primarily used to avoid direct contamination with infections, sharp tools, chemicals, and blood during medical procedures.

High-quality surgical gloves offer a puncture-resistant and durable product. These products are manufactured to meet a higher standard, ensuring accurate fit and precision.

The global surgical gloves market is expected to grow at a 5.8% CAGR between 2023 and 2030. During this forecast period, latex-free nitrile gloves for surgery are expected to grow at 6.7% CAGR.

Examination Gloves

These can either be sterile or non-sterile. It’s manufactured to protect doctors and nurses from cross-contamination between different patients.

In some cases, examination gloves can also protect against the chemicals in chemotherapy drugs. Ideally, this product should only be used once during a medical procedure.

Statistics report that the global exam gloves market is expected to grow at a 7.3% CAGR between 2023 and 2033. By then, the market will be worth USD 16 billion.

Chinese Medical Gloves Took Over the American Market: A Shocking Revelation

As of November 2023, Maryland, Virginia, and New Hampshire medical product manufacturing factories are all under scrutiny. For instance, the Maryland and Virginia factories have yet to produce anything. Similarly, the New Hampshire factory laid off 100 workers.

These projects initially received USD 290 million of public funding. They were also a part of the USD 1.5 billion investment by the American government to boost medical gown, glove, and mask production.

This investment aimed to reduce reliance on Asian imports and prevent shortages. Unfortunately, the group of manufacturing companies is now facing financial ruin.

China has started to sell cheaper gloves, leading them to take over the American market. For instance, this Asian country is selling them at a low price of USD 0.02 each. As a result, we eventually imported about USD 640 million in face masks, gloves, and syringes from China in 2023.

This incident leads us to something that President Joe Biden did in 2024. According to Reuters, he introduced a 25% hike in the tariff for Chinese goods. With this, he aimed to help the U.S.-based medical glove and mask makers.

Endnotes

As seen in this blog post, the American government is doing its best to compel medical institutions to use U.S.-based products.

Similarly, the market has become saturated with different types. For instance, doctors can find surgical and examination gloves made from vinyl and latex. However, the most common would be disposable nitrile gloves.

With the increase in innovation and mass production, who knows what the future of the medical glove market holds?