Latex allergy creates a significant problem for folks trying to live in our modern world. Everything from the innocuous rubber bands used on produce at the supermarket to party balloons for your kid’s birthday, from gardening gloves to specialized mattresses, contain latex.

Latex allergy occurs most frequently in certain populations. Health care workers may develop it due to daily exposure. Up to 17% of them may be sensitized to one degree or another. Multiple surgeries are another risk factor. As a result, as many as 68% of children with spina bifida also develop latex allergy. Otherwise, it occurs in less than 1 per cent of the US general population.

Common latex products include gloves (for gardening or cleaning), balloons, condoms, diaphragms, adhesive bandages, pacifiers and baby bottle nipples, dental dams, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscope tubing, gutta perch or gutta balota (used to seal root canals), elastic (for clothing) and spandex.

Unfortunately, latex allergy does mean that common contraceptive devices may be off limits. As a result, it’s not so surprising that I’d receive a question from a reader on how to find an easily available alternative to latex condoms.

Trojan has come out with a polyurethane condom under the name Supra. According to websites that rate condoms, these are a step forward even for those who don’t have latex allergies. Trojan is a well-known brand, widely carried in by drug stores. Durex is another popular brand, and it also has a polyurethane condom under the name Avanti.

These condoms should be as strong as latex according to the manufacturers, yet provide more sensation due to a looser fit and better transmission of body heat. Polyurethane condoms are odorless, colorless, and nonallergenic. They also have a longer shelf life than latex, and can be used with any lubricant. However, there are no studies on whether these condoms will actually prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV.