Latex allergy has become more prevalent over the past 2 decades, with the increased use of latex gloves by health care providers as well as food handlers. But there are many other potential sources of latex in the environment, which can trigger allergic reactions in sensitized individuals, including the following:
- balloons (except the mylar ones)
- rubber "bouncy house" at children's parties
- tires
- exercise resistance bands
- inflatable rafts (inner tubes)
- latex gloves (dental/medical, hospitals; South Bay Allergy is latex-free)
- tourniquets
- IV ports (if hospitalized, notify hospital staff and your doctors that you are allergic to latex so they can take latex precautions)
- some Ambu bags (used in resuscitation)
- black rubber garden hoses
- fresh asphalt (made with chopped up tires)
- foam rubber (look out for foam mattress toppers or pillows, or latex pillow-top mattresses)
- elastic (not usually a big problem unless there is direct prolonged contact with skin)
- full-head rubber Halloween masks
- some mouse pads (with rubbery underside)
- some pencil erasers (the pink rubbery ones; the white ones are generally non-latex) -- can be a problem if used to erase writing, then the particles blown into the air toward the sensitive person
- Koosh balls or rubber bouncy balls
- restaurants where food preparers use latex gloves -- for example, if they make their own bread, often the cook will wear latex gloves while kneading the dough
- dog toys (rubber Kong or other chew toys that are bouncy or flexible)
- rubber soled shoes (usually not a big problem if only on the bottom, like tennis shoes, but watch out for flip-flops that are all rubber with direct skin contact)
This is not an exclusive list; check out our Resources link to the
American Latex Allergy Association for more information.
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