Help Sofie, my allergy is back...

"Help Sofie, my allergy is back… do you remember how bad it used to be? I'm wearing nitrile gloves, yet I feel like my allergy is breaking through again."

To me, nitrile gloves are like cars. They’re a means of protection, just as a car is a means of transport. But just as not all cars are the same, neither are all nitrile gloves.

Cheap, cheaper, cheapest… that’s how some people treat nitrile gloves. Because, after all, “they're just gloves,” right? But if they’re “just gloves,” why wear them at all? What is the reason you put on gloves before performing a treatment on a client?

Just like a city car is not exactly suited for the Spa-Francorchamps racing circuit, gloves that only offer basic personal protection are not always resistant to chemicals like gels or acrylates. That’s right — not every glove is designed for the same purpose. Always look for gloves with at least an EN374 certification, and ideally an additional EN455 certification. These standards ensure that you're working with medical-grade gloves that also protect against chemicals and microorganisms. So it's not just about price. Check the packaging and look specifically for EN374 and EN455 — then you're at least starting off safe.

And did you know that not all nitrile gloves are made from 100% pure nitrile? Mixed materials are often used — sometimes even including latex — to improve stretch and comfort. So make sure you are well informed about the composition of your gloves. The worst-case scenario is that you trigger a latex allergy simply because you didn't know what your so-called "just gloves" were really made of.

So, a 2CV or a Mercedes — that's the question.

(*) The allergy is not caused by Abstract Products, but by products whose ingredient labels don’t match the actual content — but that’s a story for another time.