In the late 19th century, the Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States was the first to introduce the use of medical gloves.
Most of the early medical gloves were made of latex, which were prone to sticking together and difficult to put on and take off. To address this issue, manufacturers began adding powder to the inner layer of the gloves to serve as a lubricant.

Different Types of Powder Used in Powdered Gloves

●   Lycopodium Powder

Lycopodium powder, derived from the spores of a fern plant, is one of the early lubricants used in gloves. Its powder is extremely fine and exhibits excellent hydrophobic properties.

With the use of lycopodium powder, early reported complications included tissue irritation, lumps, and adhesions.

●  Talc Powder

To reduce adverse reactions, many glove manufacturers switched to using only talc as a lubricant. Talc is a natural inorganic mineral with a fine, easily dispersible powder that possesses good lubricating properties and hygroscopicity.

In the early stages of use, talc also caused granulomas, adhesions, and inflammatory reactions. Additionally, talc may have some environmental impacts.

●  Corn Starch

In the early 1950s, corn starch derivatives, which have good hygroscopicity and biodegradability, began to be the preferred powder for surgical gloves.

However, some people are allergic to corn starch, and using gloves containing this powder may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. It can also lead to postoperative inflammation and similar foreign body reactions.

Powdered or Unpowdered?

For nearly two centuries, medical gloves have become a clinical necessity due to their crucial function of protecting both patients and healthcare providers from infection by pathogenic microorganisms.

To facilitate the ease of donning and doffing gloves for healthcare professionals, powdered gloves have been widely used. The powder applied to the gloves not only aids in wearing but also has the effect of absorbing moisture from the skin. Therefore, for users with hands that are prone to sweating, using powdered gloves can help absorb sweat, keep the hands dry, and provide a better sense of comfort.

However, as medical research has progressed, an increasing number of cases of inflammation-induced hyperplasia caused by powdered gloves have been identified, leading to serious postoperative consequences such as granulomas and peritoneal nodules.

On December 16, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to prohibit the use of powdered gloves in medical procedures. In 2018-2019, the National Medical Products Administration of China issued notifications requiring attention to the risks associated with powdered medical gloves.

For healthcare professionals, the powder on powdered gloves is not an allergen itself, but it can increase skin permeability, allowing allergens to penetrate more easily. The glove powder can also bind with latex protein antigens and become aerosolized during donning and doffing, which can be inhaled and lead to allergies, severe cases even causing occupational asthma.For clinical patients, there are risks such as lung tissue damage, peritoneal adhesions caused by inhalation, wound infections and delayed wound healing due to granulomas caused by contact with wounds and mucous membranes.

After some requiring attention to the risks associated with powdered medical gloves, a large number of hospitals with the conditions gradually phased out the use of powdered gloves—especially in surgical procedures, the use of powder-free gloves has become the norm. However, in non-invasive procedures (such as physical examinations), the use of powdered examination gloves can still be found in some hospitals.