We know that nitrile gloves are typically utilized to avoid allergic reactions that arise from latex gloves. However, nitrile gloves come with their own set of cautions in regards to allergies, and this week at Your Glove Source, we want to make sure that you’re informed about how to protect yourself and your employees from nitrile allergies.
What Causes Nitrile Allergies?
Nitrile allergies are actually relatively rare, compared to latex allergies and are caused by the chemicals that are used in the manufacturing process of nitrile gloves. Typically these chemicals are ‘accelerator chemicals’. Another very common area where allergens arise is in the dye used in manufacturing nitrile gloves.
Even more rarely, there are sometimes trace amounts of latex found in nitrile gloves, which causes a latex allergy that is falsely attributed to the nitrile glove.
Symptoms of Nitrile Allergies
The typical symptoms associated with an allergic reaction to nitrile gloves are listed below:
- Redness of hands
- Rhinitis: stuffy or runny nose
- Swelling of hands
- Burning sensation in hands
- Watery eyes
- Facial swelling
Nitrile Allergy Prevention
One clear choice for avoiding an allergic reaction to nitrile is not using nitrile gloves or products. It is important therefore, to be aware of employees or patients/customers who have a nitrile allergy so that the use of these types of gloves can be avoided.
Because of the increase in the amount of latex allergies, many Doctors offices and hospitals, among other industries, have for the most part made the transition to using only nitrile gloves. This can pose a bit of a challenge to those who suffer from a nitrile allergy, because they do not have many other glove options.
It can be helpful to switch to a different brand of nitrile glove to see if that helps in relieving allergy symptoms. Since the allergy is often attributed to the dye used in the manufacturing of nitrile gloves, using another brand that uses a different dye could eliminate the allergy. Along these lines, switching to an accelerator free nitrile glove can help alleviate allergic reactions since the accelerator chemical contributes to nitrile allergies.
If the use of nitrile gloves cannot be prevented, it is also possible to receive treatment from your doctor to relieve the symptoms of the allergic reactions. Doctors are able to prescribe antihistamines or other topical creams to treat the symptoms.