The effects of being repeatedly exposed to medical radiation are potentially serious for the healthcare professional. Such radiation can damage DNA, RNA and proteins. Cellular damage can cause serious health concerns. Operators’ hands are especially vulnerable. Lead gloves are by far the most effective defense against the risks of radiation exposure during fluoroscopy, cardiac cath lab and electrophysiology lab procedures. Sterile radiation protection gloves are specifically designed and tested to make sure medical practitioners receive the maximum protection.
If you are a professional who regularly comes in contact with radiation you already know the risks inherent in unprotected exposure. Lead gloves of many kinds are available to protect hands that come into the proximity of x ray machines, CT scanners and other devices. The weight of some of these gloves can cause strain over long usage. Many glove making companies provide lightweight options. One company, though, has claimed that they’ve developed a cream that provides easy, light protection.
Lead Creams: Unsubstantiated Claims of Effectiveness
Certain companies make claims about their products that sound too good to be true, and they are. Independent testing of these products has shown that they fail to live up to their hype and, in fact, they fall well short of the levels of protection the company claims. The company claims that they have FDA approval, however this is a false statement as the FDA does not approve Class 1 medical devices and has specific rules against claiming FDA approved for products which are not. In fact, the FDA has warned that radiation protection creams should not be considered a class 1 device, and that further, there are risks to the practitioner and to the patient associated with the use of radiation protection cream. Creams that can be spread across the skin can also flake or rub off, and there’s the potential for reactions between the cream and the material of gloves worn over it. (Read about these concerns in this letter from the FDA.) Creams are also dependent upon making sure that even coverage is maintained over the entire surface area of the skin for the duration of the procedure. These are simply not concerns one has when wearing lead gloves.
Lead Gloves: Tried, True and Tested
The most reliable way to protect against radiation exposure is a radiation protection glove. Gloves don’t flake off, can be found in latex free varieties, and are reusable. Lightweight options are available also. Consider the following:
