Natural Rubber Latex Gloves
Question
I am required to wear natural rubber latex gloves every day
on my job. I have recently been experiencing dry, itchy hands and wrists. Could
I be having an allergic reaction to these gloves? If so, what should I do?
Answer
Constant contact with natural rubber latex (NRL) such as the gloves you wear
at work can cause allergic reactions if you suffer from a high level of sensitivity
to latex. The symptoms you are experiencing may be a latex allergy or could
be caused by a reaction to the chemicals used to produce the gloves.
Beyond dry, itchy hands, you could begin experiencing other symptoms including
hives, watery eyes and shortness of breath just to name a few. The only way
to be sure is to contact your physician or healthcare provider about your symptoms.
Vytex® NRL is an innovative latex material with significantly reduced levels
of the allergy-causing proteins commonly found in natural rubber latex that
are found in the gloves you wear to work every day. This development means
that latex gloves can be manufactured with this new material and retain all
of the desirable qualities of latex – including tensile strength, elasticity,
comfort and fit – with the added benefit of significantly reduced antigenic
protein levels. These reduced levels decrease the risk of developing allergic
reactions to latex.
If you believe you suffer from allergy caused by wearing natural rubber latex gloves, contact your physician or healthcare provider about your concerns and consider being tested for latex allergy. For more information on allergies, visit the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology website. For further information on Vytex NRL or to find products made with Vytex NRL, sign up for our newsletter or contact us. We also recommend looking for the “Vytex® NRL” logo for a better latex with significantly reduced antigenic protein levels.