What types of allergic reactions occur?
The reactions may be characterized as: • Irritant contact dermatitis • Allergic contact dermatitis, or • Type I allergic reaction Allergic reactions may develop within a few days or up to several years after a person’s first exposure to latex. Are these reactions serious? Irritant contact dermatitis is a non-allergic condition in which the skin becomes red, dry, and crusty. Symptoms typically go away when the source of the irritation – the latex – is removed. Allergic contact dermatitis is a localized allergic skin reaction that generally appears within two days of contact with latex. The affected skin is usually red with an itchy rash that resembles poison ivy. Neither of these reactions is life-threatening. A Type I allergic reaction requires prompt medical treatment in people who are sensitive to latex. It generally occurs in those who have had frequent or long-term exposure. This type of reaction affects the entire body. Symptoms generally occur within a few minutes to one hour aft
