• Is the most common reaction to latex products
• Symptoms include redness, soreness, dryness or cracking of exposed skin areas, usually the hands.
• Once the irritant agent has been identified and its use discontinued, the symptoms will disappear and not reoccur
• The reaction can also result from repeated hand washing and drying, incomplete hand drying, use of cleaners and sensitisers, and exposure to powders added to the gloves. 
• This type of reaction is not an allergic response and symptoms will disappear and not recur if the irritant agent is removed.

• Latex allergy occurs after an individual has become sensitised, a process which may occur several months or even years after exposure to an unknown amount of sensitiser.
• This irreversible state makes an individual susceptible to allergic reactions, involving an overreaction of the body’s immune system on further exposure to latex.  Indeed, further exposure to even the tiniest trace of the substance causes symptoms. 

 Type 1 allergic reaction

• Typical symptoms associated with this type of latex allergy include:
  • localised or generalised rash (urticaria or hives)
  • inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose (rhinitis)
  • red, swollen eyes with discharge
  • asthma like symptoms
• Symptoms are associated with an allergic response to the extractable proteins and occur almost immediately on contact. In extreme cases an allergic response can, in rare cases, lead to anaphylactic shock, which is potentially life threatening.

 Type IV allergic reaction

• Allergic symptoms associated with a Type IV allergic reaction occur 10 – 24 hours after exposure, and include dermatitis and itching with oozing red blisters, often localised to the hands and arms. 
• These symptoms are often associated with an allergic response to the chemical additives, known as accelerators, used in the manufacture of latex products.