Donning Powder
What is the purpose of powder on gloves?
Powder makes gloves easier and quicker for a user to don (put on), and provides added durability and comfort.
What is glove powder?
The powder used on gloves is most often 100% USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) cornstarch. USP is the official public standards-setting authority for all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and other healthcare products manufactured and sold in the United States.
For examination and surgical grade gloves, ASTM D6124 specifies acceptable levels of powder. Since most glove types require the glove to be powdered during production, the standard also stipulates how much powder residue is acceptable to still be considered powder free.
How is powder linked to latex allergy?
While the powder does not contain the proteins to produce a reaction, it may carry protein residue from the glove thereby increasing the potential for a reaction.
Depending on the process used to remove the powder from the glove, powder free gloves may help reduce the potential for an allergic reaction. If the powder is removed following production of the glove, protein residue is also removed reducing the risk of a reaction to latex. Sometimes, however, powder is instead substituted during production, and the protein residue remains on the gloves.