Dentistry

LOW DERMA™ Formula is a patented glove formula used in the production of nitrile gloves. Gloves made with this formula offer better allergy care and protection, both on the inside (allergies/exposure to potentially harmful chemicals found in gloves) and out (provides a protective barrier against harmful substances)

Gloves made with LOW DERMA™ Formula were the first to obtain US FDA 510K clearance for ‘Low Dermatitis Potential Claim’

LD Technology™ originated from Malaysia.

LOW DERMA™ Formula was first formulated in 2005. After 4 years of extensive research, development and  testing and compliance, it was finally granted a patent in 2009.

LOW DERMA™ Formula is found in many types/grades of gloves for different industries, namely: medical/healthcare, industrial, food handling/processing, chemical handling and cleanrooms.

It offers improved allergy care and protection especially if you're prone to:

Type IV Hypersensitivity
(sensitive to chemical accelerators like Thiurams, Thiazoles and Carbamates) or:

Type I Hypersensitivity
(sensitive to natural rubber latex protein)

No, LD Technology™ is exclusively used in the manufacture of  nitrile gloves only.

To date, there are 107 brands from 39 companies offering gloves manufactured using LD Technology™.

Whichever industry you're in, there's a glove brand that's right for you. Buy from one of the major online shopping sites, or contact us to find a reseller nearest to you.

Whenever you purchase a nitrile glove made using LOW DERMA™ Technology, always look for the ‘LOW DERMA™’ icon below. It is your assurance of a quality pair of gloves that offer better allergy care and protection.

LOW DERMA™ enhanced nitrile gloves are considered the better choice for allergy care. They were the first to be granted ‘Low Dermatitis Potential’ claim by U.S. FDA and also fulfil all the regulatory requirements in the 510(K) Premarket Notification. The gloves are also clinically tested (Modified Draize-95 and Dermatest)

Contact dermatitis is an occupationally related skin condition that develops from frequent and repeated use of hand hygiene products, exposure to chemicals and glove use. It is classified as either irritant or allergic.

It is a common, non-allergic condition that develops as dry, itchy, irritated areas on the skin around the area of contact.

It is usually caused by an irritant, such as the chemicals commonly used in the manufacture of hand products and gloves. It can also be caused by water, (including improper hand drying before donning gloves,) soaps, detergents, solvents, acids, alkalis and friction.

Type I allergy is an immediate allergic reaction which can be fatal (anaphylactic shock) caused by protein found in natural rubber latex gloves.

Type IV allergy often manifests as an itchy, red rash, sometimes with small blisters, beginning approximately 6 to 48 hours after contact. Like irritant dermatitis, it is usually confined to the areas of contact. It can result from exposure to accelerators and other chemicals used in the manufacture of most latex and non-latex gloves.

Chemical accelerators are used to ‘accelerate’ the linkage of rubber molecules in natural rubber latex or synthetic rubber latex, such as nitrile and vinyl.

The chemicals transform the liquid rubber into a thin, strong and elastic glove film, and stabilizes the material.

Chemical accelerators – dithiocarbamates, thiurams and mercaptobenzothiazoles (MBT) – are sulfur-based and are the cause of the majority of skin dermatitis reactions.

Gloves manufactured using LD Technology™ are accelerator-free. Because of the breakthrough cross-linking technology that does not use chemical accelerators, the result is a thin, soft and stretchy glove that is skin-friendlier and safer than traditionally manufactured rubber gloves.

Gloves made using LD Technology™ carry the U.S. FDA-approved claim ‘Low Dermatitis Potential’ reserved for gloves that have been clinically tested.

Type I Allergy covers allergies from proteins found in natural rubber/latex

Type IV Allergy covers allergies from chemical accelerators found in rubber gloves

Even if you don’t suffer from any such allergies at the moment, prolonged use and exposure to chemical accelerators in rubber gloves may, however, eventually cause delayed Type IV allergy.

All gloves made using LD Technology™ DO NOT use any chemical accelerators in the manufacturing process.

In cases like yours, it is recommended that you consult a dermatologist to conduct a patch test to rule out other causes such as:

• Exposure to irritants from gloves
• Prolonged wearing of gloves or from sweating that could impair skin barrier integrity
• Pre-existing conditions of skin impairment due to dryness caused by work environment or frequent hand-washing
• Using the wrong type of gloves that does not provide adequate protection resulting in exposure to substances that irritate the skin

Gloves are generally either rubber or plastic.
Rubber gloves are made from natural latex, nitrile butadiene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, or polyisoprene
Plastic gloves are made from polyethylene (PE)

Examination gloves are categorised as medical grade, primarily used in healthcare settings. They normally subject to testing for exposure to pathogens, chemicals and chemotherapy drugs.

Disposable gloves are non-medical grade meant for all other uses

The crucial difference between both gloves is ‘ Low Dermatitis Potential’ gloves comply with regulations while  ‘Accelerator-Free’ nitrile gloves are NOT.

To be labelled ‘Low Dermatitis Potential’, the gloves required clinical testing (Modified Draize-95 Test) and 510(K) Pre-market Notification clearance from United States Food & Drugs Administration (U.S. FDA). Test subjects demonstrated reduced potential for sensitising users to chemical additives

U.S. FDA guidelines specify ‘accelerator-free’ as misbranding. 'Accelerator-free' claim may not be accurate because it is not possible to absolutely and reliably assure that there is an absence of accelerators in the gloves if there are no clinical data.

No. Not all examination gloves can be used in chemotherapy. You must only use examination gloves that have been specifically tested against chemotherapy drugs permeation.

Gloves are designed in different colors for specific reasons.
These include:

• Increased visibility/eye comfort
  Example: Green helps surgeons see better in the operating room because it is the exact opposite of red on the color wheel. Because of this, the green and blue colors not only help to improve a surgeon's visual acuity but also make them more sensitive to different shades of red.
• Focus
  Neutral colors help the eye to better focus on the task at hand without being distracted. Some people who are averse to the sight of blood also prefer certain colored gloves to help them better focus on their tasks instead.
• Sectioning and coding purpose
• Primary risk indicator through visual contrast
• Tidiness

• Gloves come in different weights which in turn affect their thickness
• Thicker gloves offer higher protection against punctures/tears, and also when handling harmful chemicals, preventing them from permeating through to the skin.
• Some gloves are considered ‘harder’ gloves which may give the impression that they are thicker where in fact they are actually the same thickness as a soft-compound glove of the same weight.

Gloves are generally good for use within 3 years from the date of manufacture, after which their safety and integrity are compromised and no longer acceptable.

Gloves are designed specifically for use in different industries. Please refer to the list below for recommended gloves for your particular industry:

Gloves that are soft do not imply they are more inferior in performance, nor are they thinner compared to the same glove specification that is harder/stiffer. However, soft gloves offer better hand comfort that help prevent motor-skill diseases.

• Grip
• Tactile sensitivity
• Softness

No. Once gloves have been used in the way they are intended and removed from the hand, they lose their protective qualities, and their integrity has been compromised. Disposable gloves are meant to be used once, then discard accordingly.

It is best to change to a new pair of gloves every 4 hours or so. For the handling of chemicals and biohazards, please refer to the material safety chart or follow healthcare protocols on protective clothing guide.

You should double-glove if you are being exposed to high-level risks like sharp objects, biohazards, viruses or hazardous drugs/chemicals.

Double gloving offers glove users an additional layer of protection and indicates an urgent need for a change of gloves when the outer glove is visibly damaged by sharp objects, hazardous chemicals and contamination exposure.

Double gloving protects when perforation is detected by the stain mark visibility (liquid leak) and tearing when the under glove is highly visible. In contrast, breach detection for dual coloured gloves will only be visible when the glove encounters severe damage, and the inner glove colour becomes noticeable.

Hold the cuff of the glove and pull it away from your hand. Flip the glove inside-out when doffing.

General waste disposal – for gloves that are NOT contaminated with biofluids or hazardous drugs/chemicals.

Medical waste disposal (incineration/landfill) – for gloves that are contaminated with biofluids or hazardous drugs/chemicals.

Grip, or surface tack, is a vital factor in glove selection.

The level of grip is characterised by the type of coating on the gloves, and some of which also comes with textured surfaces that potentially improve the gripping ability.

Potential health risks caused by poor grip:

• Hand fatigue due to overcompensation of hand muscles
• Musculoskeletal injuries from gripping too hard
• Risk of objects being dropped or slipping
• Risk of injury to other parts of the body
• Increased risk of cuts caused by lack of control

Tactile sensitivity or touch sensitivity is directly related to glove thickness. The thicker the gloves, the more it can impair the user’s touch sensations.

Glove formulation also affects the level of sensitivity. Thick but soft-compound formulated gloves provide better tactile sensitivity compared to hard-compound formulated ones with an equivalent thickness.

In healthcare, Tactile sensitivity is crucial for the protection of both doctors and nurses, and the patients they are treating. For example, a dentist who frequently handles sharp tools while diagnosing the patient requires tactile sensitivity to avoid accidental mishandling of tools while performing the task.

Softer gloves provide better comfort and also help to ease the agility of motor skills while reducing hand fatigue.

• Risk indicator
  Proper glove colour selection results in better functional visual contrasts. Depending on the nature of the work, accidental exposure to contaminants or hazardous risks can be quickly identified, acting as a primary risk indicator, and prompting an immediate change of gloves to avoid cross-contamination.

• Psychological benefits
  Disposable gloves are generally available in lighter or brighter colours. However, darker coloured gloves began to gain popularity for its ability to mask blood, dirt, dyes and stains. Masking of blood is beneficial when treating patients who suffer from haemophobia (fear of blood). For industries that handle dirt, dye or materials that stain, masking such exposure helps to maintain a clean and professional impression at work.

• Concentration of task at hand
  Light/bright or dark coloured, all gloves are functional when it comes to material or equipment handling. Light/bright coloured gloves are functional when handling dark coloured materials or equipment, and vice versa. Choosing the right glove colour ensures optimum contrasting ability and better handling precision.

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• Risk of Permeation
  Occurs when a chemical passes through the glove layer at the molecular level. Permeation is known as the “silent killer” and only the glove material safety data sheet will be able to provide accurate information on the chemical permeation performance.

Please refer to the Material Safety Data printed on the glove packaging to determine the glove-use suitability as it will indicate the permeation duration for specific chemicals. Normally the performance can be found on the glove packaging, otherwise check with the glove supplier to obtain the Material Safety Data.

• Risk of penetration
  Occurs when a chemical passes through a seam or damaged part of the glove, for example, a pinhole or tear. Sometimes small pinholes or tears can go unnoticed until it is too late to initiate a change of gloves.

• Risk of degradation
  Occurs when a chemical damages the glove material causing the glove to be less resistant and causing a physical breakdown of the glove polymer. Normally leads to visible signs of swelling, softening / stiffening, cracking, shrinking, wrinkling, discolouration.

• Risk of contamination
  Occurs when the wrist opening is contaminated with a chemical, most likely due to poor donning or doffing practices.

It means the glove formula has been clinically tested on human subjects under a dermatologist’s supervision against Type IV Allergy (allergy caused by chemical accelerators namely thiurams, thiazoles, carbamates)

It is an intensive patch test requirement set by U.S. FDA where at least 200 human test subjects with thorough medical background check performed (Example: ethnicity, gender, age) undergo the test to prove the confidence level of at least 98.5% that the test does not induce Type IV Allergy cause by chemical accelerators (thiurams, thiazoles, carbamates).

It’s a patch test conducted by an independent German Dermatology Institute. The 5 Star Guarantee Seal can only be obtained when the tested gloves pass the long-term application tests to prove that it is able to provide the maximum possible protection against skin sensitisation.

Nitrile, latex, butyl, viton, chloroprene/polyisoprene all contain chemical accelerators.

For details, please refer to article:

Certain manufacturers rely on the use of chemical accelerators together with sulphur to enable a glove film to form properly to provide the glove’s intended protection.

Plasticisers (also known as phthalate) are not classified as chemical accelerators but may be carcinogenic and could also be toxic to the environment. They are found in 30% of the actual glove weight of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gloves and plastic gloves.