About skin disorders caused by the use of natural rubber products

Skin disorders caused by the use of natural rubber products may be latex allergy!
Let's talk to an allergy specialist.

Latex allergy is caused by contact between the skin and latex protein in natural rubber, causing skin disorders such as redness, itching, and hives due to contact between the skin and the latex protein in natural rubber. It can be caused. In the worst case, anaphylactic shock can cause death and is very dangerous.
If you have a skin disorder when using a natural rubber product, you may be latex allergy, so refrain from contacting natural rubber products and consult a medical institution specializing in allergies to check if you are latex.
In addition, latex allergic patients may develop latex fruit syndrome by eating fruits such as chestnuts and bananas, so care must be taken when eating fruits.

１．About latex allergy
Latex allergy means that latex protein contained in natural rubber becomes an allergen, causing skin disorders such as redness, itching, and hives, etc. It is characterized by causing shock.
Patients with latex allergic patients may develop latex-fruit syndrome due to fruit intake, especially chestnuts, bananas, avocados and kiwifruits are at high risk of developing and becoming more severe.
Rubber products, such as rubber gloves, rubber balloons, condoms, and medical tubes (catheters) may use natural rubber depending on the product.
According to the Japan Latex Allergy Study Group (see PDF file below), latex allergies have a very frequent contact between skin and mucous membranes and latex proteins due to chronic skin roughness, etc., and chronic skin surface barrier properties (function to prevent foreign substances from entering foreign substances) is reduced due to rough skin 3. In particular, those who are engaged in medical care, manufacturing, cleaning, nursing care, etc., who frequently wear rubber gloves made of natural rubber, those who have undergone medical treatments such as surgery 4, Atopic If you have chronic rough skin due to dermatitis, etc., you need to be careful because the risk of onset is high.

２．Cases of Latex Allergy
The Japan Latex Allergy Research Group reports on cases of latex allergies at the Academic Conference every year.
[Case 1] An example of latex allergy with natural rubber gloves
A part-time job clerk in his thirties wore rubber gloves while working at a fast food restaurant, hives appeared throughout his body and was transported to a medical institution. As a result of the test, the patient was diagnosed with latex allergy. A doctor instructed me to use gloves that do not contain natural rubber (vinyl gloves) during work. (Report year: 2014, women in their 30s)
[Case 2] A case where a child with a history of surgery developed latex allergy with a rubber balloon
When a 5-year-old child played on a rubber balloon, she began to repeat symptoms of swelling of her lips and eyelids, so she consulted a medical institution. An interview suspected latex allergy because the child had undergone two neurosurgery surgery in the past. An examination was diagnosed with latex allergy. (Report year: 2005; 5-year-old male)

３．To Consumers
If you have experienced skin disorders in your hands and lips when using rubber gloves made of natural rubber gloves or rubber balloons, you may be latex allergies. If you have such experience, avoid contact with natural rubber products and consult a medical institution that specializes in allergies. Being aware that you are allergic to yourself is one of the precautionary measures for skin disorders and anaphylactic shock.
If you experience skin disorders suspected to be latex allergy using natural rubber products, diagnosis and treatment at a medical institution are required, so please consult a medical institution immediately. For medical institutions specializing in allergies, you can search for specialists from the website of the Japan Society of Allergy.
Search page for specialists on the Japan Society of Allergy Society website
http://www.jsaweb.jp/modules/ninteilist_general/ (external site)

If you are diagnosed with latex allergy, follow your doctor's instructions and pay attention to the following points to prevent recurrence.
Talk to your doctor about the need to carry adrenaline self-injection drug.

<Precautions to Prevent Recurrence>
(1)Avoid contact with natural rubber products. When using rubber products, make sure that the product contains natural rubber. If there is no component label, check with your dealer or business operator.
(2)Before consulting a medical institution or undergoing surgery, tell your doctor or nurse in advance that you are allergic to latex.
(3)Be aware that fruit intake may cause latex fruit syndrome, and refrain from ingesting. Certain fruits, such as chestnuts, bananas, avocados and kiwi fruit are known to be at high risk of onset and are known to become more severe.

Also, for children, if you repeat symptoms of swelling of a part of the body, such as lips and eyelids with natural rubber toys, you may be latex allergy. Let's go to the institution.

• Skin disorders caused by the use of natural rubber products may be latex allergy! (Consumer Affairs Agency) (PDF: 197KB)