It’s tough if you have latex allergies. You can run into this substance in all kinds of common objects from your household cleaning gloves to kids’ rubber toys.
It’s not even safe to buy a bra! Some brands make use of latex in the elastic – which can be deadly if you have anaphylaxis in response to latex exposure. Any type of clothing that uses elastic fabric, could be a latex hazard.
Natural rubber latex (which is commonly referred to as latex) is a substance that has become increasingly popular in the modern world. Research has shown that the specific cause of the allergic reaction is the protein found in the rubber.
The problem is worse for medical workers for many reasons. For instance, it is known that gloves treated with talc (to make it easier to put the gloves on) increased the risk of allergic reaction. It’s not clear why this occurs, but It is possible that talc itself is an allergen or it increases the amount of “free” rubber protein molecules on the surface of the glove. So, if latex is an allergen, why use it? Latex is very strong so that gloves can be thin. A thinner glove allows more sensitive “feel” if the health care worker or physician is feeling for lumps etc.
What can you do to avoid latex? Here are a number of tips from the American Academy of Family Physicians:
- Identify items made from latex at home and work, and replace them with non-latex versions.
- Exercise extreme caution around powdered latex gloves. Breathing the powder in can be as dangerous as touching the gloves.
- Make sure that medical personnel are aware of your latex allergy and that they use non-latex gloves for any procedure.
- Always wear a medic alert bracelet, necklace or key chain!
- If your allergy is severe, get a prescription for an EpiPen. Emergency epinephrine injections save lives every day.
Source: HealthDay and reporting from Be Allergy Wise
