Choosing Gloves for Sweaty Hands

There’s no way around it: you need gloves. It’s a safety measure for your job. But for those who have chronically sweaty hands, there’s nothing quite like the unpleasantness of feeling your hands sweat all day and worrying that your sweating will loosen your gloves, never mind the unpleasantness of shedding the gloves for a whiff of sweat mingled with eau de glove. 

You’ve tried anti-sweat measures, but at the end of the day, you need your gloves to be sanitary. Which means it’s time to find a glove that reduces sweating. 

Here’s why thin gloves are a good option for those with chronically sweaty hands, how to choose the right pair, and a few things to be aware of with thin gloves. 

The Risks and Unpleasantness of Sweaty Palms

Unfortunately, sweaty hands aren’t just an unpleasant feature for those stuck with them. They also present a safety concern and a long-term health issue. 

Gloves serve two purposes: protecting your hands and providing a non-slip grip. If your hands are sweaty inside your gloves and the gloves don’t fit well, you run the risk of losing your grip while working or having the glove slide out of place. 

There’s also the long-term health concerns attached to sweaty hands in gloves for an extended period. Basically, since single-use gloves are designed to provide an impermeable barrier, there’s no way for sweat to wick off your skin. That leaves moisture trapped against your skin with no airflow to regulate the skin environment properly. In other words, your skin becomes a petri dish for bacteria, fungi, and skin irritation. 

There are some solutions you can try underneath the gloves to dry out sweat. Unfortunately, these also run the risk of compromising sanitary gloves, and either way, there still isn’t enough airflow to your hands. 

Why Thin Gloves Can Help Get a Handle on Sweaty Hands

This is where thin gloves can be helpful. 

While a thin glove doesn’t change the airflow problem, it does reduce the thickness of the barrier. In other words, the material doesn’t trap as much heat inside the glove, which can help reduce the chance of sweat. For those in short-duration tasks, it can be especially helpful, since you don’t need to try to prep your hands to wear gloves for such a short time. 

Plus, you actually get more tactile sensitivity, since glove thickness is almost always measured at the fingers. 

How to Choose the Right Pair of Gloves

Choosing thin gloves is just like choosing any other variety of gloves. You want to pay attention to the material and fit. 

For medical professionals who need tactile sensitivity and dexterity, latex gloves are still the go-to. A thinner glove gives you even more sensitivity and flexibility. 

However, it’s not very durable. For those who need sturdy gloves with puncture resistance, nitrile gloves are a much better option--plus, they’re allergen-friendly. 

For those who need a thin glove with a rapid turnover for high-volume projects (like food service workers, for example) a thin vinyl glove is the perfect choice. Vinyl is cheap and works well with thin gloves, and while it’s not terribly puncture resistant, it still performs well for light handling. 

Either way, look for the same fit features you would want in a thicker glove, namely a stretchy but fitted shape around your fingers and palm with a loose cuff for easy application and removal. 

Things to Keep in Mind with Thin Gloves

Thin gloves are a great choice for those whose hands sweat buckets. However, they’re not the perfect choice for every occasion. 

Because you have less material, the glove is much less durable than a thicker alternative, even for relatively durable materials like nitrile. This means thin gloves are much more susceptible to punctures and tears. They’re also less chemical resistant than thicker gloves. 

If you’re doing heavy industrial work, working with chemicals, or you’re worried about punctures, you’re still going to need a thicker glove. But for lighter uses, a thin glove can keep you comfortable. 

The Perfect Gloves to Keep Sweaty Hands at Bay

Looking for gloves for sweaty hands? We offer a great selection of gloves for a wide variety of essential workers, gloves that are rigorously tested and trusted by industry leaders like Johns Hopkins Hospital.