How to Live with a Latex Allergy

Spring brings longer, warmer days, along with a variety of flowers waking up from their winter slumber. With these flowers come a wide range of allergies ranging from pollen of a ragweed to Bermuda grass, from different flowers to a long list of trees.

If you have these spring time allergies, you understand what it is like to have a misguided reaction to what your immune system recognizes as a foreign substance.

One allergy that has grown in prevalence over the last couple of decades is the allergy to latex. Around 3 percent of the U.S. population is at risk of having an allergic reaction to natural rubber latex according to Vytex.

This website also explains that people who have other allergies are more prone to have an allergy to natural rubber latex as well because this latex contains over 200 proteins, 13 of which are alleged allergens.

People who work in the medical field will have more exposure to different products that are made with natural rubber latex; however, the most common exposure to it is through the use of latex condoms.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to latex include: itching, redness, hives, or a rash in mild cases according to The Mayo Clinic. The website also says that in more severe cases the symptoms include: sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. In rare cases, anaphylactic shock may occur. If this happens, contact a physician immediately.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “consistent and correct use of male latex condoms can reduce (though not eliminate) the risk of STD transmission. To achieve the maximum protective effect, condoms must be used both consistently and correctly.”

Condoms are the only type of protection that con prevent both pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. According to Avert, latex condoms are more reliable than polyurethane condoms.

Polyurethane condoms are made from synthetic materials and are most commonly substituted for latex condoms when the user has an allergy to latex.

“Some of these synthetic substitutes are generally thinner and less stretchy than latex condoms, possibly making them more prone to break, and may be considerably more expensive than latex condoms. Because they are petroleum-based, they are not made from natural or renewable materials” according to Vytex.

A company based out of Duluth, GA, Vystar partnered with Alatech Healthcare LLC and have introduced a brand new line of condoms called Envy. These condoms are made with Vytex® Natural Rubber Latex (NRL).

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Source: ChickSpeak.com