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| Fig. 65.3 Positive patch test reactions to the rubber accelerators thiuram and carbamates found in rubber gloves in a health care worker. |
No. There is a widespread misconception that gloves guarantee safety. Although gloves are recommended on a routine basis to protect against environmental insults, they are also the cause of a great deal of contact dermatitis themselves. Irritant dermatitis occurs because patients sweat underneath their gloves. Allergic contact dermatitis occurs commonly with rubber gloves containing the chemicals thiuram, mercaptobenzothiazole, and carbamates, which are “rubber accelerator” chemicals used to speed up the vulcanization process. Some allergens can penetrate various glove materials and become trapped against the skin. For example, acrylics, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and epoxy resins all penetrate latex gloves (Fig. 65-3).
