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    • Services and providers for Latex Allergy in the U.S.
  • National Institutes of Health

Latex is a milky fluid that comes from the tropical rubber tree. Hundreds of everyday products contain latex. Repeated exposure to a protein in natural latex can make you more likely to develop a latex allergy. If your immune system detects the protein, a reaction can start in minutes. You could get a rash, asthma and in rare cases shock from latex exposure.

Latex products are all around you. Some common ones are

  • Gloves
  • Condoms
  • Balloons
  • Rubber bands
  • Shoe soles
  • Pacifiers

If you are allergic to latex, it is a good idea to learn which products contain it. That way, you can reduce your exposure. The most common reactions are to gloves and condoms. Latex-free alternatives exist for both.

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