Latex gloves are commonly used in environments where health and safety standards have to be really high. GP surgeries, clinics, dental surgeries, hospitals, hair and beauty salons and sports therapy centres are just a handful of places where hands-on services are provided and where a safe hygienic environment is essential.

Unfortunately, those who run these clinics have to be aware of the trouble some patients and customers experience with latex. Although latex gloves are great at increasing hygiene standards and are perfectly acceptable for the majority of patients, a fair proportion of members of the public are allergic to the material.

Plenty of people have to find alternatives to things like latex plasters because their skin reacts to the material in a negative way. Redness, itching and irritation are some of the symptoms associated with an allergy to latex. Of course, it’s not just the patients who often suffer from this condition – medical practitioners themselves are just as likely have problems with latex as the people they treat on a daily basis. As with all allergies, it all comes down to the luck of the draw.

It’s up to practice managers and those who run clinics to make sure they look out for all their patients and customers and this means finding an alternative to latex gloves that are cost-effective, disposable and hygienic but that don’t cause allergic reactions in those whose skin is much too sensitive to latex.

The development of nitrile gloves represented a major breakthrough for the medical and cosmetic industries. Nitrile gloves contain no latex and this means they can be used when treating patients who have skin sensitive to latex. Nowadays, these gloves are available in an assortment of thicknesses and textures to meet the varied demands of medical professionals and those in the cosmetic sector.