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Latex Allergy

If the touch of rubber raises your hackles rather than your pulse, or anywhere else for that matter, here's an idea to rub away the problem.

Rubber comes in all shapes and sizes and colours. Gloves and wetsuits provide necessary protection when we need it. Other items of rubber bring pleasure and protection when we want it.

Sadly it's those rubber products we come into contact with most often, and for some may well bring the most pleasure, which most often cause reactions. So do you need to miss out? No, you don't - and here's how.

Allergy to the latex in rubber comes in two distinct forms. Natural proteins in latex cause the immediate type of reaction, where hives or nettle rash, itching, redness, swelling, sneezing, wheezing or, rarely, life-threatening anaphylaxis occurs within seconds of contact. Additives called rubber accelerators are responsible for the delayed type that usually takes around 48 hours to kick in (but can take less) and causes skin irritation, known as contact dermatitis, at or around the point of contact. It's not only rubber that can cause contact dermatitis, though. You may have heard older women talking about their suspenders and how the metal components would leave a red mark. This was not caused by them pressing too hard on the skin, or by frenzied twanging during moments of friskiness. It was actually caused by sensitivity to nickel, which, even though the suspender belt may be lost in the undergarments of time, still exists today. Nowadays, however, it's more likely to be the studs in denim jeans or bodypiercings that cause the red, itchy and irritating marks of contact dermatitis.

Bouncing back to rubber, it's thought that the increased use of latex gloves as a result of infection precaution policies in health care facilities, and changes in processes used to manufacture latex products, are behind the increase in allergy to proteins in natural rubber latex. As with so many things, progress benefits on the one hand, whilst it quite literally may cause additional problems on the other hand. And to combat these new challenges have come unpowdered, low-allergen gloves and continuous research into developing latex products containing less latex allergen. Although most often it's the hands that are affected, it can occur anywhere on the body where rubber gets into contact. So when he, or she, says that using a condom is irritating, it may be true in more ways than one. During the run-up to my finals, I was warned by a hospital consultant - who, in the interest of preventing any inflammation, shall remain nameless but who was feared by many - to remember to use the little sachet of talcum powder found with the examination gloves should I find myself in front of him during my final exams. The reason behind his advice was that my palms would be so sweaty that it would be impossible for me to get the gloves on. And it's true, trying to put on a pair of rubber gloves with sweaty palms and without powder is nigh-on impossible.

To overcome this, powdered latex gloves can be used. Unfortunately, with powdered gloves the latex allergens become airborne, making it easy for them to be inhaled or to come into contact with the nose or eyes and subsequently trigger symptoms. This is exactly why the main problem with latex allergy is with powdered gloves, since these release an estimated 15,000 times more allergy-triggering substances into the air than unpowdered ones. Like latex gloves made without additional chemicals, unpowdered gloves and synthetic ones, for example vinyl gloves, are often better to use.

My final exam was indeed in front of the same consultant, and, remembering his words, I dutifully opened the sachet. Like the allergens from latex gloves, the sachet contents flew into the air and all over his designer suit. Well, he'd omitted to warn me about controlling the anxiety-fuelled shaking hands I was experiencing, so I don't think I was completely to blame for his consequent irritation!


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