Gloves

What are gloves for sex?

Gloves are thin disposable latex or nitrile gloves that serve as a barrier during sex. You use them for fisting, for penetration by hand and for blood play. They keep fluids and bacteria out, and cover sharp nail edges. With lube over them they also give a smoother feel than a bare hand.

What you use them for

Gloves come out as soon as hands go inside. With fisting they are almost standard, because a smooth glove with plenty of lube cuts friction and covers nails and skin edges that would otherwise scratch. With blood play they add a clean layer between skin and skin. Small gesture, big difference. And they swap fast: one layer off, a new one on, and you move clean from one place to another. That last part is exactly why many people find them nicer than they expected. If you’re nervous about hygiene, that thin layer takes the brake off, so your head can be with the rest instead of counting things off. Anyone who switches between different spots or toys keeps everything clean with a fresh glove at each change, without having to think about it in between.

Why latex or nitrile

It comes down to the barrier and to what your skin tolerates. Research into the integrity of gloves in use shows that latex and nitrile seal clearly better than vinyl. If you can’t take latex, nitrile is the usual solution: it protects comparably, without the latex proteins a latex allergy reacts to. Choose powder-free and the right size. Too wide slips off, too tight tears sooner. A box costs almost nothing, so swap more often than you think you need to.

Where this fits on my site

If hands or somewhat firmer play come into an appointment, gloves belong with it for me, just like lube. You don’t have to ask for them, I make sure they’re ready. If you want to know how an evening like that goes, take a look at my services. You can always ask first.

Sources

• In-use barrier integrity of gloves: Latex and nitrile superior to vinyl. A. Rego and L. Roley, American Journal of Infection Control, 1999. Supplies that latex and nitrile seal better as a barrier in use than vinyl.
• Latex allergy: assessment of knowledge, appropriate use of gloves. F. Al-Niaimi et al., Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2012. Supplies that nitrile is the usual alternative for those who cannot tolerate the latex protein.

Related terms

Gloves are a piece of gear for safer sex, the umbrella term for everything that lowers the chance of an STI or transmission.

• Safer sex. What gloves fall under: the whole set of small choices that reduce risk.
• Barrier method. The barriers lined up: condom, dental dam, finger cot and the glove.
• Fisting. The act a glove and plenty of lube most often go with.