Science / Medicine : Rubber Allergy Raises Concerns

Allergic reactions to the natural rubber in condoms and protective gloves raise health concerns and could prevent some people from following the rules of safe sex, a dermatologist said last week.

In one documented case, a woman developed hives and suffered respiratory problems within minutes after engaging in intercourse using a latex-based condom, said Dr. James Taylor of the Cleveland Clinic, author of an article published in this month’s Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

A study of hospitals in Finland found that 5% of the nurses and 7% of the doctors suffered some type of allergic reaction to rubber gloves, such as hives. In rare instances, severe reactions could begin in seconds and quickly progress to respiratory failure and even death, Taylor said.

“This is more common than realized and is often not recognized,” he said, since it often occurs among people that already suffer from other types of skin allergies.