The Aloe Glove Story

In the fall of 2000, Medline conducted focus groups with nurses throughout the country to learn how Medline could continue to improve its examination glove product line for healthcare employees. In each focus group, nurses consistently complained about their frustrations with their dry and irritated hands. Nurses explained that they were required to wash their hands 30-50 times a day and as a result their skin integrity suffered dramatically.

At one of the focus groups in Texas, one nurse explained to the group that she had been experiencing the discomfort of dry and chapped hands for many years and then proceeded to walk through a creative solution that she used to relieve her pain. She explained that every day as she returned home from work, she would go directly to her aloe plant, crack open an aloe leaf and apply the natural, soothing aloe to her hands. Her passion for her soothing aloe therapy was evident and we quickly realized the power behind this solution and the need to share this approach with healthcare workers across the nation.  We realized that nurses would not have to wait until after work to moisturize their skin, but that we could help them on job while they performed their  daily activities. The solution to dry and irritated skin was clear – Medline would provide examination gloves coated on the inside with pure aloe!  

Within a few months, Medline developed Aloetouch exam gloves with aloe options for latex, vinyl and nitrile gloves. The Aloetouch exam gloves have been Medline’s most popular examination glove products to date. Facilities are extremely passionate about their Aloetouch Gloves and we receive hundreds of letters every week from nurses across the country thanking us for providing examination gloves that can soothe and moisturize their dry and chapped hands.

We are extremely proud of our Aloetouch examination glove solution and use exceptionally fresh and pure aloe vera with no additives, unlike lotions such as Jergens or Neutrogena. The aloe used in the exam gloves is certified as pure aloe by the International Aloe Science Council. Our factories apply the freeze-dried aloe to the inside of the exam glove through a patented process.  The aloe inside the glove is activated by the clinician donning the glove as body heat releases the aloe back onto the skin.  Click here to find out how to order samples for your facility so that you can help solve the skin irritation problems that is affecting your staff!