Difference Between Nitrile And Latex Gloves

Gloves are very essential and important these days and are required not only in hospitals but also in bakeries, small stalls, etc. Gloves keep your hands clean and prevent the spread of infection transfer from one person to another.

TYPES OF GLOVES

There are many types and few are named below 

• Latex
• Nitrile
• Neoprene
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
• PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)
• Butyl
• Viton etc

LATEX GLOVES

MATERIAL

Latex is made of natural rubber which is the safest and the cheapest these days.

ADVANTAGES

• The main benefit of this gloves is that it is very sensitive to tactile sensations and even the slightest thing can be felt with it, and that’s why it is preferred for surgical procedures so that doctors can feel even the minute of things. 
• It is made of natural materials so less damaging than other chemically manufactured gloves
• It is very durable and can be used for long procedures or purposes.
• Since it is made of rubber, It is very flexible and can be stretched while wearing it without causing damage to it.
• If a person is not allergic to rubber then these gloves are the most comfortable then any other and are easily worn and taken off.
• It is very useful where there is a chance of infection spread.. 
• They are extremely cost effective and that is why most of its use is in the medical field as they are to be disposed of after use.
• It is an environmentally friendly product.
• It is easy to put on, as it is covered in a thin layer of powder.

DISADVANTAGES

• It can cause mild to severe allergic reactions to the people who are sensitive to latex and rubber.
• It has little to no prevention effect against some chemicals.
• It is a non recyclable product.

USES

• Most importantly it is used in medical facilities and every doctor is wearing it for his protection
• It is also used in dental facilities as they have high tactile sensations so everything can be felt very easily. 
• They are also used in the foodservice area as well as in the food processing industry or manufacturing industries.

NITRILE GLOVES

MATERIAL

They are made of synthetically manufactured rubber and they are used as an alternative for latex gloves as latex causes allergies to some people.

ADVANTAGES

• They are latex-free so can be worn by everyone without any fear of causing an allergic reaction or skin reaction.
• They are stronger than latex because they can bear more forceful action than latex and are more rupture resistant than latex.
• They are sensitive to touch as well but not as sensitive as the latex.
• They fit perfectly on anyone’s hand.
• The most important feature of these gloves is that they can also be used while handling chemicals as they provide protection against chemicals as well.
• They have a stronger shelf life than latex which means they can be stored for a longer period and can be used for more time if bought in bulk.
• They give more protection than latex.
• The tear or puncture is easier to detect in nitrile gloves
• They are more durable than latex. 
• They are waterproof, greaseproof, oil proof as well

DISADVANTAGES

• Its tactile sensation is less than latex.
• They cost more than latex gloves. Since they synthetically produced
• They are not biodegradable and cannot be decomposed by bacteria 
• Nitrile gloves are not Biodegradable and therefore are not environment friendly
• Like latex gloves, nitrile gloves can be only used for once and must be disposed of after usage.

USES

• They are resistant to chemicals so can  be used in chemical laboratories 
• They can be used in medical industries as they have more puncture resistant quality and less infection spread
• Any person who is allergic to latex can use use them

	LATEX	NITRILE
Touch sensitivity	More sensitive to touch	Less sensitive to touch
Chemical resistance	Not at all resistant to chemicals	It is basically used in chemical industries and chemistry labs
Allergic reaction	Can occur in these type of gloves	They are latex-free so fewer chances of an allergic reaction
Cost	Cheaper due to use of natural rubber	Synthetic rubber is expensive so a bit expensive than latex
Puncture resistance	It is not punctured resistant at all	It is puncture resistant
Colors	It comes in lighter shades like light blue, white or off-white	It comes in dark colors like blue and black
Tear visibility	The tear is not visible due to its light shade	The tear is visible due to dark color choice
Material	It is made of natural rubber	It is made of synthetic rubber
Uses	Mostly in medical and dental facilities	Mostly in chemical industries but also for some medical facilities
Biodegradable	They are decomposed by bacteria	As they are formed from synthetic rubber so they can’t be decomposed by bacteria
Reusable	Cannot be reused	Cannot be reused only
Shelf life	Less shelf Life	More shelf life