A finger cot is a medical supply used to cover one or more finger

Finger

A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....

s in situations where a full glove is unnecessary. Like medical gloves, finger cots may be made from a variety of water-tight materials including latex

Latex

Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...

, nitrile rubber

Nitrile rubber

Nitrile rubber, also known as Buna-N, Perbunan, or NBR, is a synthetic rubber copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Trade names include Nipol, Krynac and Europrene....

, or vinyl

Vinyl

A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...

. They function to both limit patient exposure to infectious material and to protect health professionals from contact with bodily fluids that can transmit disease. Finger cots can be used in a wide scope of medical procedures and examinations, for example, when applying a topical medication or during the digital rectal examination. Finger cots may be used when bandaging a finger as a means of both securing the bandage

Bandage

A bandage is a piece of material used either to support a medical device such as a dressing or splint, or on its own to provide support to the body; they can also be used to restrict a part of the body. During heavy bleeding or following a poisonous bite it is important to slow the flow of blood,...

 and protecting the bandage and wound from becoming wet.

Finger cots have a wide range of specialized applications in a variety of industries apart from health care. In electronics manufacturing (e.g., the manufacture of semiconductor

Semiconductor

A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...

s), finger cots are used while handling sensitive components to prevent contamination. In the watchmaking industry they are used to keep delicate watch parts from being contaminated with grease and skin particles and also in art conservation and restoration, to protect works of art from the skin's natural oils, which can have corrosive effects over time. In jobs that require manual labor with the hands, such as an automobile mechanic or chef, finger cots may be used to protect an injured finger so that the individual can return to work more quickly following an injury.