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Silver Gloves for a Microcurrent Facial?

Jan 22

2 min read

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Skincare professionals often inquire about device accessories, and if they should treat with treatment probes or conductive gloves. Conductive gloves were first designed with conductive carbon fabric. Manufacturers now offer “silver infused woven gloves" touted to "incorporate antimicrobial technology to help resistance to microorganisms.”

There is a crucial difference between sterilizing, disinfecting and sanitizing conductive gloves.


  • Autoclave steam sterilization kills all microorganisms and their spores.

Spore is defined as “a dormant form of bacteria."


  • Sanitizing kills bacteria on surfaces using chemicals. It is not intended to kill viruses.


  • Disinfecting kills viruses and bacteria on surfaces using chemicals. This process kills most harmful microorganisms but does not kill spores.


Silver conductive gloves are commonly advertised as having anti-microorganism properties. Although the use of silver is often asserted as being antimicrobial, there are reported incidences of resistance to microorganisms. It appears that more research is needed to determine the efficiency of silver against bacterial spores and viruses.


According to the study, Emerging Concern for Silver Nanoparticle Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii and Other Bacteria, “despite clear evidence of the strong antibacterial efficacy of NAg, studies have raised concerns over the development of silver-resistant bacteria.”


When treating areas of the body such as arms, legs, and the lower back with gloves, it is safe to use a disinfectant. These areas are not near openings of the face. Treating near the eyes, nose and mouth, however, poses a health risk to the client if the gloves are not sterilized. Conductive gloves are delicate and cannot withstand repeated high heat sterilization.


Disinfection is not equal to sterilization. Even the best disinfectant allows for the possibility, even if slight of spreading germs from one client to another. It may cause some inconvenience for the professional to change q-tips during treatment. Yet, the best way to ensure the safest treatment is by using probes with q-tips.


References


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8085274/


/https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1102615/full

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