Nitrile Gloves – Exam, Disposable, Black, Purple

Although nitrile was used in making surgical gloves, you will have a hard time finding such a pair of protective glove being used in an operating theater. Nitrile surgical gloves were created in search of a cost-effective latex-free, synthetic alternative as the awareness of latex allergies became rampant. The idea was good, but nitrile glove manufacturers could only do so much to make nitrile feel like a surgical glove.

The problem with nitrile is that the elongation and tensile strength was inferior to latex material. Latex rubber is one of the most flexible materials and can be stretched pretty far. Essentially, this gives latex surgical gloves a great feeling. Given today’s technology, it was not possible to make a nitrile surgical glove that felt like latex. Surgeons that tested out nitrile surgical gloves complained that they could hardly feel anything. For surgeons, having a high tactile sensitivity is crucial.

The other major problem was that nitrile surgical gloves tended to get slippery when it came into contact with blood and bodily fluids. This resulted in having a less secure grip on surgical instruments so that it hampered the ability for a surgeon to effectively perform optimally. Another issue discovered was that during extended periods of donning the nitrile version of the surgical glove, there were some reports that nitrile gloves were less comfortable and tired out the hands.

Neoprene and polyisoprene surgical gloves are now the most popular synthetic surgical glove you will find. Although nitrile is considerably cheaper, surgical gloves cannot inhibit surgeons from performing to the best of their abilities while they are trying to save lives. For this reason, it is quite rare for you to see nitrile surgical gloves used today.

Are neoprene gloves the same as nitrile gloves? The short answer is no. These gloves are made out of different materials. Although neoprene and nitrile are made from synthetic, latex-free materials, the physical properties of these gloves are quite different. Although their names may sound familiar, if you were to handle these protective gloves side-by-side, you will quickly notice a difference between the two materials.


Neoprene gloves are made from neoprene material, just like what diving wetsuits are made out of. Neoprene conforms well to the contour of the human body and it fits very well on our hands. Neoprene gloves tend to be more comfortable to wear, even for extended period of time. When you compare the price of each glove, neoprene gloves tend to be more expensive than the nitrile glove counterpart. As such, neoprene gloves are not as prevalent and used in more exclusive environments. For instance, this material is a popular work glove for industrial factories. In addition, neoprene is widely used as a surgical glove in place of latex gloves.

Always remember that not all glove materials protect you the same way. When neoprene and nitrile gloves are manufactured, they are tested accordingly. Especially when it comes to handling chemicals, it is always best to inquire about penetration testing on the respective material to ensure you work consistently in a safe environment. As an example, nitrile gloves and neoprene gloves will have different levels of protection if it comes into contact with formaldehyde. The test data you should be looking for is the time it takes for this chemical to penetrate the glove. Based on this knowledge, you can put in to practice how often you should change gloves.