1. Community
  2. Skin and nails
  3. Dermatitis And Eczema

How can I test for Latex or Rubber allergy/sensitivity on my hands? Contact Dermatitis?

Posted , 2 users are following.

ronjohn
ronjohn

I've had contact dermatitis on my fingers(mostly right hand which I use most) for about 2 years now and I've narrowed it down to rubber sensitivity. I know there's a patch test but it runs over $1000 and I want to see if I can save that money by just avoiding either latex or pretty much all soft rubber materials. Is there a way to rule latex out? I've read that using latex gloves could irritate but not necessary and indication of latex allergy, could be other things in the glove. I've tapped pretty much every soft rubber item in my house other than cables which is harder to cover. Also, the gloves I use at the gym irritate my hands too. They're black suede like material. So could be the color black used in soft rubber? But there could also be latex in those gym gloves... so this is why I want to rule latex out.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Acrobat13
    Acrobat13 ronjohn

    Posted

    Hi John, I was lucky enough to have patch testing on the NHS, and it was very revealing for me. It can be almost impossible to know what to avoid otherwise. I am allergic to rubber, amongst other things. I don't react to latex (latex usually causes a much more severe systemic allergic reaction rather than a skin reaction in susceptible people) but to some of the chemicals used to turn the latex into rubber (vulcanisers, or accelerators). I realised that these chemicals can also be found in synthetic rubber (e.g. nitrile), so that was valuable information for me. Many gloves contain natural or synthetic rubber. Things to look for are plastics, such as polyurethane, which does not contain these rubber accelerators. You might also be able to wear leather or cotton gloves at the gym. Good luck! I know how frustrating and distressing it can be to have long-term hand eczema.

    Best wishes

    Anthea

    • ronjohn
      ronjohn Acrobat13

      Posted

      Thank you so much for responding. Any experience with suede material? Particularly black suede, it is used inside most gloves that I've seen and both my steering wheel and stick in my car are covered by it.

      Thanks

    • Acrobat13
      Acrobat13 ronjohn

      Posted

      Hi ronjohn, I know that black dyes can also cause allergy - the main culprit is para-phenylene diamine (PPD) which has a history of use in hair dye, and related chemicals are used in printer ink and textiles (including leather). It is possible to search for gloves on the internet and find out what they are made of before you buy - much easier than in a shop. I hope you manage to work your way through the maze!

      Best wishes

      Anthea

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.