Latex allergy?

[GatorJoe]

Hello - My wife is allergic to latex and she has only had symptoms when she's worn latex gloves and such. We got Latex seals for our arms and neck. do you think this is the same type of latex as in gloves so she'd have a reaction? the dive shop guy didn't know nor did another person i asked. anyone else run into this?

 

[Grover48]

I have a severe latex allergy. I can tell when someone touches me and is wearing latex. I have the food allergies that go along with it. The same protein in latex that causes the allergic reaction is in bananas, mangoes, and avocados. No guacamole..

Yes, it is the same latex in the seals of a suit. If she is truly allergic to latex instead of the powder used inside latex gloves, she will need to avoid the latex seals and use neoprene.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Yes, it is the same latex in the seals of a suit. If she is truly allergic to latex instead of the powder used inside latex gloves, she will need to avoid the latex seals and use neoprene.

Or get cuffs installed and do the dryglove thing with no inner wrist seal.
Neck seal will have to be neoprene...but the good thing is that neoprene neck seals are supposed to be quite comfortable and very sturdy.

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

In the cases that I have seen, it has been the same. With drysuits you can always use Neoprene seals instead of Latex.

 

[willgr1]

They make hypoallergenic latex neck and wrist seals. Your local shop should be able to find them, if not I know Steve Gamble has ordered and installed some for a friend of mine.

 

[merxlin]

Silicone seals : Silicone seals

 

[ptyx]

Try it. If no reaction fine.
If reaction, you have plenty of alternatives. I've never seen the silicone seals (they're pretty recent), but I've seen plenty of people happy with neoprene and Bioseals.

 

[themagni]

I'm pretty happy with plain ol' neoprene seals. You can get dry gloves with those, too. I just bought a pair although I haven't had them wet yet.

 

[GatorJoe]

thx everyone. i saw somewhere else on another thread saying it's not the same material so who knows. we'll see. the suits should come in any day now.