Preface: I am not a doctor, scientist, medical professional, or even modification practitioner. Just a nerd. I tried to substantiate (with legitimate sources) all that I could, as well as keep the anecdotal evidence to a minimum. Citation is done informally, because I really hate proper citation. This was written mostly an exercise for my own interest, and therefore is somewhat cursory in its approach. If you're interested, please follow the links cited to find more information.
At A Glance Author axiom Contact [email protected] IAM axiom When N/A I have a mild latex sensitivity. A short exposure leaves me with dry, itchy skin. These form into hives at the contact site if exposure continues. I have never let this progress past the hive stage, but I don't think it'd be pretty. The most common form of contact dermatitis (which is what any contact-related skin symptoms are called) is dry, cracked, split-open skin. At worst, latex allergies can cause oozing blisters, respiratory problems, and anaphylactic shock (and death!). (1) Not only can this be caused by natural rubber latex, but also by the chemicals that are used to make the products (like gloves) if you are a chemically sensitive person.
Persistent exposure to latex, like glove-wearing doctors, dentists, piercers and tattoo-artists, creates a greater likelihood of developing a latex allergy. 8-12% of health-care workers have developed a latex allergy, compared with only 1-6% of the general population. (1) Latex allergies are not extremely common, and if you're only being pierced or tattooed, why worry? Unfortunately, latex gloves can pose a great health risk to clients AND practitioners, even if you're not allergic to rubber.
Gloves are the first line of defense against infection and contamination, and are frequently being misused. Latex gloves must be changed often, as they begin to degrade very quickly. Glove manufacturers advise changing latex exam gloves every 15-30 minutes, even under the best conditions. Extended contact with blood can cause the latex to "balloon", as it retains liquid. (Gross!) When coupled with an oil-based product (like hand lotion inside the glove, or Vaseline, Bacitracin or A&D ointment), the barrier between client and practitioner is severely compromised, and can degrade within minutes. Oil-based products are used both during and after the tattoo process, which means prolonged exposure to the glove latex. The product is spread with the fingertips and remains on the client's skin, often coming in contact with other parts of the hand during movement. Any time that a latex glove comes in contact with petroleum, it must be changed to ensure protection for both client and practitioner. (2) Since contact is basically unavoidable and essential to the process, latex gloves are impractical.
A barrier between clients and artists is essential. It protects both parties from blood borne pathogens as well as bacteria that lives on top of the skin. The Center for Disease Control (US) considers anything that "penetrates soft tissue, contacts bone, enters into or contacts the bloodstream or other normally sterile tissue" a "critical risk" for infection control." (7) Obviously this makes client/practitioner barriers an issue of huge importance for the body modification industry. Without a proper barrier, you might as well work bare-handed. Not to sound sensationalistic, but the combination of petroleum based product, bodily fluids, and prolonged exposure can leave both parties playing Russian Roulette with their health.
So, why has latex dominated the industry? For one thing, latex is significantly cheaper than non-latex gloves, often selling for half the cost of synthetic. Practitioners must change their gloves often to avoid cross-contamination, which means multiple pairs of gloves per client. These costs can add up quickly, and for someone who is ignorant to the risks, synthetic can seem an unnecessary expense. Latex has long been considered the "gold standard" by which to judge the performance of other gloves. It has low failure rate, can be stretched and flexed greatly without tearing, and provides great sensitivity through the glove. (4).
The most inexpensive form of latex gloves is "powdered." These are more likely to cause irritation and allergy, even respiratory problems from airborne particles. Additionally, studies have proven that powder from latex gloves can diminish the body's ability to ward off infection when it is introduced to a wound. Apparently the powder "distracts" the body's immune response, leaving it vulnerable to attack. While healing, you are dealing with an open wound and the ability to stave off infection is very important. (3)
Sterile surgeon's gloves have been more regulated by the FDA and are likely to provide a lower failure rate and longer wear time than exam gloves. (7). However, they are extremely expensive. The most common choices for synthetic exam gloves are vinyl, copolymer (like chloroprene or neoprene) and nitrile. Each type of material has a 'timetable' of safety, after which the barrier begins to degrade. Obviously, if the glove becomes visibly (or tactilely) compromised in any way, the gloves must be changed as well. This 'timetable' refers to gloves which are otherwise uncompromised.
Like latex, vinyl gloves must be changed every 15 minutes. Vinyl gloves are rigid and relatively non-elastic, meaning that hand movement causes stress which causes them to rip. As they tear easily and have a high failure rate (up to 60 %!) in glove testing. (5) This means that vinyl gloves are completely inappropriate for the "high risk" settings encountered in body modification.
Nitrile gloves also must be changed every 15-30 minutes to maintain a proper client/practitioner barrier. Nitrile gloves are quite strong, and offer a good amount of sensitivity through the glove. (5) These gloves have long been the alternative of choice for medical professionals working in a latex-free environment due to their safety and relative cost effectiveness.
Vinyl and nitrile have been the most researched of the synthetics, and copolymer's is one of the newer (and more expensive) products in the glove market, so information is less readily available. Copolymer also goes by trade names such as neoprene, choloroprene, or polychloroprene. However, the studies that have been done say that copolymer does have "enhanced puncture resistance." (7) Copolymers also has proven durability that rivals (or beats) traditional latex. Copolymers also boast the longest safety-zone for wear, which means they only need to be changed every 1-3 hours, making them a great choice for tattooing. (5)
I worked at a studio that chose to use to use latex gloves (unless a latex allergy was specified by the client) for room/client prep and clean up, and choloroprene for the procedure. This combination was less expensive than an all-synthetic model, while still providing the necessary safety precautions. The preparatory aspect of both tattooing and piercing requires more glove changes than the procedure, so often only one pair of synthetic gloves were used per client (unless there was a long sitting for a tattoo). Additionally, the type of glove used was able to be autoclaved prior to use, rendering gloves that are even safer for the client. (Please check with glove manufacturer for usage specifications, including autoclavability.)
Latex can be safely used in the modification world, but, as with all other gloves, only within the parameters set by the manufacturer. There is no perfect glove. All gloves can fail, even when used appropriately. However, there is no need for further risk by disregarding proper glove usage. A little research (and some very dull medical catalogue reading) can be enough to save you and your clients from disease, which makes it very worthwhile.
1. OSHA: Potential for Allergy to Natural Rubber Latex Gloves and other Natural Rubber Products
http://www.osha.gov/dts/tib/tib_data/tib19990412.html2. Cardinal Manufacturing: Guidelines for Appropriate Glove Useage and Selection
http://www.cardinal.com/mps/brands/gloves/clinical/Handbk~1.pdf3. Nursing Times Magazine: Factors that impact on the infection control capability of gloves
http://www.nursingtimes.net/nav?page=nt.print&resource=5948854. Journal of Occupational and Envirnomental Hygene: Assessment of the Durability of Medical Examination Gloves
http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Bio/Files/glovedur.pdf5. Cardinal Manufacturing: Choices: Synthetic Glove Materials: Selection and Clinical Use
http://www.cardinal.com/mps/brands/gloves/selection/choices_synthetic.pdf6. Center for Disease Control (US): Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5116a1.htm7. Center for Disease Control (US): Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings -2003
http://www.adha.org/downloads/phealth/CDCGuidelinesINFCtl2003.pdf