What To Look Before Buying Medical Gloves?

Gunjan thakurJune 15, 2022

For professionals, medical-grade gloves are an essential piece of personal protective equipment(PPE). Disposable Medical Gloves are not only necessary for healthcare workers but also for food handlers, dentists, and other professionals. 

Medical gloves are crucial wherever sanitation and health are paramount. Medical gloves like 100% Nitrile Gloves or TPE Medical Gloves help to prevent the spread of viruses and germs, which promotes safety for employees as well as those they serve.

It is crucial to choose the best disposable gloves for your workplace. It is important to know the differences between different disposable gloves. Different gloves have different uses. They can be made from different materials and strength levels. 

We’ll be discussing the top 7 considerations when stocking up on gloves.

Type of material

There are many options for disposable gloves that have an acceptable AQL rating. Your preference for glove material should be considered first. You can use different glove materials for different purposes, so it is a good idea to learn more about them before you make a bulk purchase from any online store like United States Medical Supply.

Glove Thickness

Also, consider the thickness of your gloves. Thicker gloves offer a stronger protection barrier. They are also more resistant to tears and can last longer. An industrial-grade glove with heavy-duty will have more thickness than a thinner, lighter glove.

Thicker Medical Examination Gloves can reduce touch sensitivity. This is not ideal for certain applications. You might consider thinner gloves made of a durable material like nitrile if your application calls for high touch sensitivity. Look for thickness in millimeters when browsing glove options.

Tactile Sensitivity

Some situations require a high degree of touch or tactile sensitivity. To perform precise and accurate surgery, surgeons need unimpaired touch sensitiveness. 

Lightweight gloves that are tactile-sensitive will provide precision levels comparable to ungloved hands. Sensitivity is also required for many applications, such as food preparation and electronic handling.

Glove Comfort and Fit

Consider glove fit and comfort, as well as the various sizes. Your application may dictate that your staff will need gloves to perform complex tasks. 

Gloves may be required to be worn for long periods of time. Comfortable gloves are essential — a glove that is too tight can make it difficult for someone to do their job.

It is important to consider the size options. A glove that is too small can cause irritation or restrict blood circulation, which could make it uncomfortable and distracting. A glove that is too small can cause it to tear and compromise its protective barrier.

Other concerns can arise if a glove is too big. Wearers who have too much space between the glove’s skin and their gloves may be more susceptible to infection by pathogens. 

Also, gloves that are too large can easily fall off, which could lead to serious contamination concerns. Make sure you have at least three sizes when buying gloves: small, medium, and large.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is the material’s ability to resist breaking under stress or being pulled. Gloves that have higher tensile strengths are more tear-resistant. 

Latex and nitrile are two materials that have high tensile strength ratings. You can pull and tug on them for a long time before they start to tear. 

Tensile strength is important because a tear could compromise the glove’s protection. This measurement is important, especially in applications that require hand dexterity.

Glove Color

Although you might not think twice about the color of your gloves, it can make all the difference. It is possible to color-code your gloves to make it easier for staff to distinguish between different types of gloves. 

You might choose to color-code your gloves with blue for latex gloves or black for non-latex. This will make it easy for those who have a latex allergy to select non-latex gloves. Color coding is useful if you have both non-sterile and sterile gloves.

Tears are more obvious if certain glove colors are used. Tears will be easier to spot if you have a dark glove over a lighter glove. To minimize contamination, you can change your gloves as soon as a tear occurs.

Shelf Life

You should also consider the glove’s shelf-life. You can buy disposable gloves in bulk to ensure that you have them available whenever you need them. 

However, this may mean that some gloves remain unutilized for a longer time. The material of a glove is the most important factor in determining its shelf life. 

Nitrile gloves are more durable than other materials. While it is important to read the manufacturer’s guidelines before using nitrile gloves, they will still last for many years in their original packaging.

It’s usually easy to determine if a glove has been compromised. A glove that is compromised may feel fragile or have cracks on the surface. Wear gloves that are of normal tensile strength and durability, and be aware of how long they have been on the shelf.