Many professions, including the medical community, require the use of latex (or rubber) gloves for the protection of their employees. From hair stylist to brain surgeons, these convenient "second skins" offer a barrier of protection against contaminants that can harm the human body. However, there are many cases where latex gloves can cause more of a problem than a solution. Latex allergies can manifest in several different ways, none of which are comfortable.

Contact Urticaria is an allergic reaction which can develop anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours after coming into contact with latex. This condition presents with itching, redness and swelling of the skin at the site of the contact.

Contact Dermatitis can take several days to appear on the skin, at the site of contact with latex. This condition has a scaly appearance with a rash that itches, and in severe cases blisters may form, as well. This sensitivity is generally associated not with the latex itself, but the chemicals from the manufacturing process.

Some individuals suffer asthmatic symptoms when they use latex gloves, however this is attributed to the powder often placed inside the gloves during manufacture to make them easier to put on and take off. Non-powered gloves are available for individuals with a sensitivity to the powder.

Latex is the milky sap that is taken from the rubber tree to make latex gloves and other products. Individuals with sensitivity to foods such as avocado, chestnuts, tomatoes and peaches may have a predisposition to allergic reactions to latex.