Latex gloves have excellent quality and are common personal protective equipment in many fields such as healthcare, cleaning, and laboratories, effectively preventing dirt, infection, and contamination. However, if you are allergic to latex, it can cause mild skin irritation or even severe allergic reactions.
Therefore, it is essential to understand the causes of latex allergy, recognize the symptoms of latex allergic reactions, and ensure our safety when using it.
What is latex allergy?
Latex allergy means your body’s immune system reacts to certain components in latex. Although latex gloves undergo extensive processing, they are made from the sap of the rubber tree, which contains several latex proteins known to be allergens.
Any contact with latex can cause adverse reactions in allergic individuals, ranging from skin itching, redness, rash, and eczema to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. This is particularly concerning for healthcare workers as many medical or health-related products typically contain latex.
For individuals prone to latex allergy, extra caution is needed when using latex gloves due to their widespread use and durability. However, frequent use of latex gloves can lead to allergic reactions.
Repeated exposure to latex can also trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, individuals who regularly use latex products in daily life are at higher risk of developing allergic symptoms. This is common in professions such as:
- Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers
- Manufacturers of medical devices
- Laboratory personnel
- Hairdressers and beauticians
- Tattoo artists
- Infant caregivers
- Food service industry personnel
- Law enforcement professionals
How common is latex allergy?
According to research, the prevalence of latex allergy is typically between 0.3% to 1%. However, for individuals frequently exposed to latex, such as healthcare workers and laboratory technicians, the incidence of allergy may be higher than the general population.
Latex allergy is not directly associated with food since it is a reaction to proteins in the latex of rubber trees, not food. However, some individuals may experience cross-reactivity, where latex-allergic individuals develop allergic reactions when consuming certain foods related to latex, leading to “latex-fruit syndrome” or “latex-food allergy syndrome.” These foods include:
- Banana
- Papaya
- Watermelon
- Plum
- Peach
- Durian
- Avocado
- Potato
- Tomato
- Cantaloupe
- Almond
- Peanut
- Walnut
- Soybean
- Sesame
- Oat
- Wheat
Symptoms of latex allergy
Latex allergy can cause various symptoms, including skin, respiratory, eye, digestive, and systemic symptoms:
- Skin symptoms: redness, itching, hives (urticaria), skin inflammation, etc.
- Respiratory symptoms: sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, etc.
- Eye symptoms: redness, itching, tearing, inflammation, etc.
- Digestive system symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc.
- Systemic symptoms: headache, general discomfort, fatigue, fever, etc.
Some latex allergy symptoms can be life-threatening, indicating anaphylactic shock, a dangerous allergic reaction.
How is latex allergy diagnosed?
If you experience symptoms of latex allergy, seek medical attention immediately for your safety.
How is latex allergy treated?
Currently, there is no cure for latex allergy. Treatment usually focuses on managing reaction symptoms. Specific treatment methods and precautions should be followed under the guidance of a doctor.
Preventing allergies
Since there is no foolproof method for treating latex allergies, the best approach is to avoid latex exposure—not only for yourself but also for any allergic employees, colleagues, customers, or patients.
Choosing alternatives to latex gloves, such as nitrile or PVC gloves, is a straightforward method. Regularly changing gloves and washing hands with soap and water can reduce friction, heat stimulation, and bacterial buildup, thus reducing the risk of allergies.
Best alternatives to latex gloves
As latex gloves can trigger allergic reactions, it’s essential to consider alternatives for allergic individuals. Nitrile gloves are one such alternative, made of synthetic rubber without latex proteins, making them the preferred choice for latex-allergic individuals. They offer comparable comfort and flexibility to latex gloves while being more puncture-resistant, tear-resistant, and chemical-resistant.
Additionally, cotton gloves, cut-resistant gloves, and electrically insulated gloves are excellent alternatives depending on your specific needs.
If you’re looking for high-quality hand protection products that won’t cause latex allergies, why not visit our online store? We offer a variety of gloves for you to choose from. You can easily select the most suitable protective products for your workplace based on size, color, and glove thickness.
How to Measure Glove Sizes – Source: AIBON
Medical Gloves – Source: FDA
Nitrile Gloves or Latex – Source: AIBON
Medical Gloves Guidance Manual – Source: FDA