There are powdered and non-powdered latex gloves on the market. What are the differences?

The presence or absence of cornstarch powder does not affect the integrity of the manufactured latex glove. Powder on gloves primarily allows people to don the gloves more easily after hand washing. This feature was especially important in the early 1980s when many dental professionals were beginning to routinely wear gloves during when treating patients and before the advent of waterless, alcohol-based hand antiseptics. Gloves manufactured during that era were typically heavily powdered and thus could be placed on hands with little effort. Unfortunately, the presence of extra powder can also cause hand dermatitis for those people who do not completely wash the cornstarch off between glove changes.

Manufacturers have gradually reduced the powder concentration, to where most latex gloves are either lightly powdered or powder-free. With powder-free gloves, some healthcare workers notice that they can have more hand perspiration, as there isn’t powder to absorb the accumulation. However, they also can have less of a problem with hand dermatitis originating from the irritation of residual powder remaining after hand washing.

An important consideration to keep in mind if a person is considering using powder-free gloves is that the hands must be completely dry before donning them. Moisture left on the hands from improper drying will make it very difficult to put the gloves on.