Nitrile examination gloves

In a controlled study, 25 female clinicians and 1 male clinician with dry skin tested the effectiveness of a treated powder-free nitrile exam glove for improving dry skin.i Baseline measures included: conductance (skin surface moisturization), colorimetry (skin redness), TEWL (barrier function), cutometer measurements (skin elasticity), silicone replicas (fine lines/wrinkles), and D-Squames ® skin sampling disks (skin smoothness/flakiness). After baseline testing, subjects wore the test glove on one hand and a control (nontreated) nitrile glove on the other hand for 12 successive 15-minute wear periods. The final wear period was followed by a final 3- hour rest period, and 30 minutes of equilibration at controlled temperature and relative humidity environment.

After equilibration, all measurements taken at baseline were repeated. Test measurements revealed, compared to baseline, the hands that had worn the test glove showed:

• A 12.6% increase in skin moisturization.
• No increase in redness.
• No increase in water loss.
• A 42% decrease in overall dryness.
• A 34% reduction in fine flaking.
• A 58% reduction in coarse flaking.

The hands that had worn the nontreated gloves showed an increase in skin roughness and lines.

Polyisoprene surgical gloves

In a controlled study, 24 women and 1 man with dry skin tested the effectiveness of an experimental therapeutic powder-free non-latex
polyisoprene surgical glove for improving dry skin on the dorsum of their hands.ii The inside of the experimental gloves had a therapeutic coating
containing chitosan, gluconolactone, glycerin, and provitamin B. There was no coating on the inside of the control gloves. Baseline measures included: conductance (skin surface moisturization), colorimetry (skin redness), TEWL (barrier function), Cutometer measurements (skin elasticity), silicone replicas (fine lines/wrinkles), and D-Squames ® skin sampling disks (skin
smoothness/flakiness). After baseline testing, subjects wore the test glove on one hand and a control glove on the other hand for three 1-hour
wear periods and two 5-minute rest periods. The final wear period was followed by a final 3-hour rest period and 30 minutes of equilibration at
controlled temperature and relative humidity environment.

After equilibration, all measurements taken at baseline were repeated. Test
measurements revealed that, compared to baseline, the hands that had worn the experimental glove showed:

• A 54% greater increase in skin moisture.
• Little change in skin redness —also true of the control glove.
• A 154% lesser increase in total evaporative water loss, indicating less deterioration of the skin’s barrier function.
• An increase in overall elasticity, compared to a decrease in overall elasticity for the control gloves.
• No significant change in fine flaking, coarse scaling, or desquamation index for either glove.

There was a significant increase in lines and creases (silicone replica) in the hands that had worn the control gloves.

References
i California Skin Research Institute. A controlled use test with a nitrile exam glove in subjects with compromised skin. Final report. CSRI #02-200. San Diego, CA: CSRI. April 22, 2003.
ii California Skin Research Institute. A controlled use test with a polyisoprene surgical glove in subjects with compromised skin. Final report. CSRI #03-118. San Diego, CA: CSRI. May 5, 2003.