Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Latex Allergy
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 or asthma. In rare cases you could have a severe reaction called anaphylaxis.
Your doctor may use a physical exam and skin and blood tests to diagnose it. There are medicines to treat a reaction, but it is best to try to avoid latex. Common latex products include:
- Gloves
- Condoms
- Balloons
- Rubber bands
- Shoe soles
- Pacifiers
You can find latex-free versions of these products.
It sits within Immune System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Latex Allergy
3 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research already completed
- The COVID-19 Pandemic Process Increase Latex Glove Use and Latex Allergy Complaints in Hospital Nurses? Survey StudyKilis 7 Aralik University
- Safety of a Powder-free Latex Allergy Protocol in the Operating Theatre: A Prospective, Observational Cohort StudyJessa Hospital
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Learn More
- Allergy Blood TestNational Library of Medicine
- Home Healthcare Workers: How to Prevent Latex AllergiesNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- Latex allergies - for hospital patientsMedical Encyclopedia
- Latex AllergyMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Latex in CosmeticsFood and Drug Administration
- Managing latex allergies at homeMedical Encyclopedia
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Latex Hypersensitivity. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Latex Allergy, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.