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.