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Ansell’s Worker Experience Innovation (WEI) program transforms insights from workers’ day-to-day encounters and challenges into new WEI technologies and product ideas for the dental industry.
Such technologies include ERGOFORM™ ergonomic design technology to reduce muscle fatigue and HYDRASOFT™ skin moisturising technology.1
The effects of HYDRASOFT™ Skin Moisturising Technology on Skin Moisture
Hand hygiene is one of the most effective actions to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections.1 Yet, consistent and constant hand washing before and after dental procedures may reduce levels of moisture and natural oils, attack the lipid layer, and reduce the skin’s ability to repair itself, leading to dry or chapped hands and potentially contact dermatitis.
As the first line of defence against microorganisms, it’s important to maintain healthy skin integrity.
HYDRASOFT™ Technology is an odorless, water-based coating applied on the inside of the glove that helps retain moisture and rehydrate dry skin to improve the wearers’ skin condition. Skin hydration levels were measured on people performing multiple hand washes and wearing disposable gloves. Test subjects evaluated standard nitrile gloves as control and MICROFLEX® Soft White Nitrile (TQ-601) with HYDRASOFT™ Technology as test samples on each hand. The initial level of moisture detected on the hand was measured before and after wearing the control and sample gloves for 15 minutes.
Results
HYDRASOFT™ coated glove:
Showed an improvement in moisture content of more than 6% after wearing the gloves for 15 minutes.
Control glove:
The moisture content worsened by 4% after wearing the glove for 15 minutes
Results
We see that the skin moisture continues to improve when the HYDRASOFT™ coated glove is used several times in a row after multiple cycles of hand washing and glove wearing.
The graph shows the results for moisture improve-ment on the hand that was wearing the HYDRASOFT™ coated glove after each cycle. It is likely that the improvement will reach a plateau value at some point, but the experiment was stopped at 4 cycles.
Summary of other Ansell Glove Technologies in the Dental Industry:
1. World Health Organization (WHO). World Hand Hygiene Day 2021. Seconds save lives - clean your hands. 2021
2. Data on file. Ansell Healthcare 2022.
*Based on internal testing