A liquid in tropical rubber trees produces natural rubber latex. Many of the rubber products used at home and at work are made by processing this liquid.
An allergic reaction can be causes in some people due to the protein in rubber. Gloves, balloons, and condoms are the stuffs in which the thin, stretchy latex rubber is high in this protein. Products made of hard rubber such as tires cause less allergic reactions as compared to the previous. Furthermore, the latex protein particles stick to the cornstarch and fly into the air when the gloves are taken off because some latex gloves are coated with cornstarch powder. The air may contain many latex particles in the places where gloves are being put on and removed frequently.
Latex Allergy Symptoms:
Latex allergy can be severe or mild manifesting itself as:
- Shock
- Sneezing or runny nose
- Chest tightness and shortness of breath
- Itchy, red, watery eyes
- Coughing
- Rash or hives
It usually takes 12 to 36 hours for these symptoms to appear after contact with latex. A life-threatening allergic reaction with no previous signs or symptoms can be the case with a latex-sensitive person.
Latex Allergy Treatment:
There is no treatment for latex allergy. However, risk of reaction can be reduced by avoiding direct contact with latex. The way to do that is simply take steps to find out which products in your environment have latex in their bodies. Then, you are to find alternatives you can use for those products. Avoiding breathing in latex particles from powdered gloves is also important for treating latex allergy. |
