 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeArticlesDiving DestinationsLearning Scuba DivingMarine LifeMiscellaneousDiscussion GroupsGeneralScuba EquipmentScuba LocationsAustralian ScubaUK ScubaDirectoryScuba Clubs |
Scuba Forum / General / April 2004Latex allergy to neoprene
Hi, I think I have finally figured out what cause my last outbreak of orticaria: My suit. I had previously worn only a short top as pool shorty and then developed this murderous itch, turned red and couldn't sleep at night because of the itch. It seemed to be confired to the areas where the shorty was, but my dermatologist didn't believe it was an allergic reaction. I then tried it again a few weeks later, just using wetsuit booties for the fins in the pool. It did get a reaction as well, but wasn't sure it wasn't only psychosomatic. Well, yesterday the dive season eventually kicked off and boy am I in trouble. As I was of course now wearing the full suit, I am inflamed everywhere. I'd say definitely a case of rubber or latex allegy. Funny that I was diving a whole season last year without any problem. I wonder now, I was wearing swimming togs under my suit, but yet the area covered is as inflamed as elsewhere where the suit was in direct contact with the skin. I read some old postings about people suggesting to wear a lycra skin underneath the wetsuit for protection. Will that work if a pair of swimming togs didn't. I guess I need to invest in a cordura drysuit with silicone seals, but before I invest that much, I want to ensure there are no cheaper alternatives that don't mean I have to sell the wetsuit I just bought last season. Cheers, Marcus > I read some old postings about people suggesting to wear a > lycra skin underneath the wetsuit for protection. Will that work if a pair > of swimming togs didn't. Wow, someone who actually reads the archives before asking a question... Congratulations... <grin> Seriously though, you've probably got a neoprene allergy... Not necessarily the same as a latex allergy... I'm not allergic to latex, but I'm somewhat allergic to neprene... Of course, it could be the glue that is used to glue the lining to the neoprene... I'm currently using a wetsuit with a slick finish on the inside and it doesn't seem to cause a rash... There are different types of neoprenes and you might not be allergic to all of them... Unfortunately, it is a painful experimentation process in attempting to find out which ones you might not be allergic to... The rashes on the nether regions are especially irritating... >> I read some old postings about people suggesting to wear a >> lycra skin underneath the wetsuit for protection. Will that work if a pair [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >out which ones you might not be allergic to... The rashes on the nether >regions are especially irritating... I wonder if you could ask a wetsuit company for some small samples and then strap them to your leg/arm/netherregion for a day to see what happens? Gareth > I wonder if you could ask a wetsuit company for some small samples and > then strap them to your leg/arm/netherregion for a day to see what > happens? I've done that... The larger name wetsuit companies will do it, but the offbrand wetsuit companies apparently don't do their own wetsuits and don't have samples of the material... When you appear to be allergic to various neoprene flavors, you are willing to try *any* brand of wetsuit in the hope that you can quit developing a rash... It seems that the offbrand companies are just relabeling products that are made overseas... I tried taping samples of neoprene from the various companies to the inner parts of my forearms and biceps for a test since the areas wtih the more tender areas of skin and without as much hair tend to be affected more than the areas with more hair... It doesn't seem to work as well as just wearing the wetsuit, but when you have to wait a week or two between tests because of your being apparently allergic to that wetsuit's flavor of neoprene, it takes a long time to test a lot of different wetsuits... > > I wonder if you could ask a wetsuit company for some small samples and > > then strap them to your leg/arm/netherregion for a day to see what [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > apparently allergic to that wetsuit's flavor of neoprene, it takes a long > time to test a lot of different wetsuits... Might try a peice of neoprene seal for a drysuit first - might tell if it was the raw rubber or the lining.  Signature--Chandler -- > Might try a peice of neoprene seal for a drysuit first - might tell if > it was the raw rubber or the lining. I'm fairly certain that it is the neoprene in my case... I tied a dive skin and it had a thin piece of neoprene underneath the zipper... I ended up with a stipe down my chest and stomach from being in contact with the flap after a single dive... Wearing a t-shirt doesn't really help either... My current wetsuit (a Harvey, I believe) has some sort of slick coating on the interior that doesn't seem to give me a rash.. I also coated a previous wetsuit with a spray-on polyurethane / rubber coating and it didn't cause a rash... To say the least, that wetsuit is rather difficult to get on -- I pretty much have to either start out with it wet or dump a lot of aloe vera gel in it to make it slippery enough to get on... After finding the current FJ style (Harvey?) suit that doesn't cause me to develop much of a rash, I'm not all that anxious to try any other brands... Have you tried animal membrane, a la squeezing yourself into a large intestine? Works with another body part ... <grin> >>Might try a peice of neoprene seal for a drysuit first - might tell if >>it was the raw rubber or the lining. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > (Harvey?) suit that doesn't cause me to develop much of a rash, I'm not all > that anxious to try any other brands... "Marcus Viertel" <mviertel@bluebottle.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I wonder now, I was wearing swimming togs under my suit, but yet the area :covered is as inflamed as elsewhere where the suit was in direct contact :with the skin. I read some old postings about people suggesting to wear a :lycra skin underneath the wetsuit for protection. Will that work if a pair :of swimming togs didn't. I don't know. What's a swimming tog and how much skin does it cover? Dan Bracuk If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure. The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/ >"Marcus Viertel" <mviertel@bluebottle.com> pounded away at his >keyboard resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >I don't know. What's a swimming tog and how much skin does it cover? They are similar to the togs in a duvet, which manages to cover both me and her indoors. Pete S. >"Marcus Viertel" <mviertel@bluebottle.com> pounded away at his >keyboard resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >I don't know. What's a swimming tog and how much skin does it cover? Togs are english for swim suits... for a guy that could mean speedos... like slimpy lycra briefs... or swim trunks... You should try to learn english... not just Americanese.... :) Hi, it is actually just a pair of swimming trunks. But I can see from another poster who was wearing a t-shirt, that this didn't help either. My reaction is so vicious, I don't really have the luxury to just try a few things. I'm never touching that suit again. Cheers, Marcus > >"Marcus Viertel" <mviertel@bluebottle.com> pounded away at his > >keyboard resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > :) > My reaction is so vicious, I don't really have the luxury to just try a few > things. I'm never touching that suit again. Looks like it's time for you to consider a drysuit then... Perhaps a neoprene drysuit? <evil-grin> "Marcus Viertel" <mviertel@bluebottle.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :it is actually just a pair of swimming trunks. But I can see from another :poster who was wearing a t-shirt, that this didn't help either. So one of the original plans, a lycra suit probably won't work either. Dan Bracuk If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure. The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/ > So one of the original plans, a lycra suit probably won't work either. I tried it and it didn't work for me... A very thick T-shirt helped a little bit... Still got a rash, but it took longer for it to fully develop... Marcus, when your preferred waters are so warnm that such stuff in the 3mm range suffices, I would suggest another way. There are (were?) those skin like suits from australia ( SSI ?) made of a strong lycra outer and inner skin, and a windproof membrane inside, with at least 3- dimensional stretch properties. I'd imagine you might well use one, generously sized, and use one of these new kayaking stuff underneath, looks way like a combination of lycra and polartec. My kayaking friends tell me it is close( still less) to neopren in thermal properties. Just my 2cc. Matthias Marcus Viertel schrieb: > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Togs are english for swim suits... for a guy that could mean > > speedos... like slimpy lycra briefs... or swim trunks... > Marcus, when your preferred waters are so warnm that such stuff in the > 3mm range suffices, I would suggest another way. > > There are (were?) those skin like suits from australia ( SSI ?) made of > a strong lycra outer and inner skin, and a windproof membrane inside, > with at least 3- dimensional stretch properties. So, it could possibly stretch in four (or more) dimensions? ;-) <snip> C Guynn Chris Guynn schrieb: > > Marcus, when your preferred waters are so warnm that such stuff in the > > 3mm range suffices, I would suggest another way. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > C Guynn Yep. LIke you into a nation ;-) And in time, of course. Matthias > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Marcus Neoprene is a substitute rubber used when one has latex allergy, so it cannot by itself cause latex allergy. Adam > Neoprene is a substitute rubber used when one has latex allergy, so it cannot by itself > cause latex allergy. I got that by now. I thought it was the same. My tests have come back from the blood lab and show no allergy to latex, but from the three tests with the suit I can say that it is clearly a reaction to neoprene. The last dive cost me dearly. It's now nearly a week and I haven't slept more than an hour a night if I am lucky, due to the itch. One night was so bad, by wife asked me to move into the spare bedroom, as my scratching was so loud. Even 10mg of Valium wasn't strong enough to give me a nights sleep, and I believe this is a pre-operative dose. Cheers, Marcus > Even 10mg of Valium wasn't strong enough to give me > a nights sleep, and I believe this is a pre-operative dose. And the antihistamines like Benedryl don't help either... Neither do any sort of creme (either before as a preventative or after as a treatment)... About a week or two later it should be gone though and you can then try yet another brand of wetsuit to see if you are allergic to it... <grin> I would suggest trying the suits with the slick insides (Harvey's, Henderson's, etc) next... Those worked for me... > And the antihistamines like Benedryl don't help either... Neither do any > sort of creme (either before as a preventative or after as a treatment)... > About a week or two later it should be gone though and you can then try yet > another brand of wetsuit to see if you are allergic to it... <grin> I would > suggest trying the suits with the slick insides (Harvey's, Henderson's, etc) > next... Those worked for me... As opposed to those which have 'fuzzy' or fleece-type linings ?? > As opposed to those which have 'fuzzy' or fleece-type linings ?? As opposed to those who have some sort of fabric glued to the inside of the wetsuit... Not sure exactly what type of fabric it is, but I don't think I would have classified it as "fuzzy" or "fleece"... I kind of figured it was some sort of nylon type material... >> Neoprene is a substitute rubber used when one has latex allergy, so it >cannot by itself [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Marcus If theres no Latex allergy... try wearign an XXXXXXXL condom with holes cut for oyur arms and head :) Then put the suit on over that Hey... At least you'd be wearing protection :) Marcus Viertel schrieb: > Hi, > > I think I have finally figured out what cause my last outbreak of orticaria: > My suit. I had previously worn only a short top as pool shorty and then > developed this murderous itch, > I then tried it again a few weeks later, just using wetsuit booties for the > fins in the pool. What about the pool' chemical agents, like the chlorine stuff, and other things which they put in it to help the clogging together of algae, etc.. Matthias > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Marcus Hi Marcus. Did you also break out in the rash on your feet where your booties covered as well as your body ?? I am inclined to think that you are not allergic to the material, but that you are allergic to a chemical being used in the pool. The reason that I say this is because of my own experience with my hot tub / Jacuzzi and the chemicals we have tried with it. Hi, no, the rash developed after the pool and after my last open water dive. It is clearly linked to the suit material. On the last dive I was also wearing neoprene gloves and I developed a rash on the back of my hands too. Marcus > Hi Marcus. Did you also break out in the rash on your feet where your > booties covered as well as your body ?? I am inclined to think that > you are not allergic to the material, but that you are allergic to a > chemical being used in the pool. The reason that I say this is > because of my own experience with my hot tub / Jacuzzi and the > chemicals we have tried with it. > Hi, > no, the rash developed after the pool and after my last open water dive. It > is clearly linked to the suit material. On the last dive I was also wearing > neoprene gloves and I developed a rash on the back of my hands too. I'm sorry to hear that and I hope that you find an answer to help you with this problem, Marcus. > > Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > because of my own experience with my hot tub / Jacuzzi and the > chemicals we have tried with it. Salty you're sweet and are trying to help, but what affects you may not apply to him. Adam > Salty you're sweet and are trying to help, but what affects you may not apply to him. Thank you Adam. You're right. I read the article on the link that you posted. I found it interesting. But, I wonder how difficult it would be to sort out an allergy of this kind. First, you'd have to subject yourself to all the test patches and try to narrow-down the offending chemical. I wonder how easily you could obtain info from various wetsuit manufacturers re: the names of the chemicals that they use. And if there's more than one chemical that gives you a reaction, that could make finding a wetsuit even harder. :( > > Salty you're sweet and are trying to help, but what affects you may not apply to him. > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > And if there's more than one chemical that gives you a reaction, that > could make finding a wetsuit even harder. :( He's got a big problem alright. But if he identify the chemicals that cause the reaction he could have a wet suit custom made. Adam > > "Adam Helberg" <sendspamhere@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:<Z5G4c.36357$aT1.13277@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>... [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > And if there's more than one chemical that gives you a reaction, that > > could make finding a wetsuit even harder. :( > He's got a big problem alright. But if he identify the chemicals that cause the reaction > he could have a wet suit custom made. > Adam Well yes... but he might have to go thru an awful lot of aggravation to get there. :( It seems that Gru has had this problem and I think Gru could be a good research person for Marcus... as well as for all of us. > He's got a big problem alright. But if he identify the chemicals that cause the reaction > he could have a wet suit custom made. Second post to you here.... Hmm. I'm wondering what made you post the thing about the allergy. Do you know someone who had this or did you just read about it ?? This isn't something that is common among the divers that I know... ie those who are in my circle of friends and have been diving for 15 or more years. In fact, I don't know anyone personally who has had an allergic reaction to wetsuits. Has the composition of wetsuits changed that much or has our skin become more sensitive or... ?? > > He's got a big problem alright. But if he identify the chemicals that cause the reaction > > he could have a wet suit custom made. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > composition of wetsuits changed that much or has our skin become more > sensitive or... ?? I'm an anesthesiologist and we see latex allergy more frequently. I'm not sure why this is it may be increased use of latex gloves or more rubber devices. But reaction to wet suit is odd because we use neoprene as a latex substitue. That's why this caught my interest and I googled it. Adam > "Salty" <babette7401@hotmail.com> wrote in message > > Second post to you here.... Hmm. I'm wondering what made you post [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > composition of wetsuits changed that much or has our skin become more > > sensitive or... ?? > I'm an anesthesiologist and we see latex allergy more frequently. I'm not sure why this is > it may be increased use of latex gloves or more rubber devices. But reaction to wet suit > is odd because we use neoprene as a latex substitue. That's why this caught my interest > and I googled it. Ahhh. Greetings then to you my fellow medical person. :) I'm an RN and have been since 1979. We didn't use gloves very much years ago, certainly not as much as compared to today. And no, there wasn't the latex allergy problem then. I'm not sure if you would agree or if you've been in medicine long enough to compare the changes, but I think the latex thing began to become a problem at about the time that facilities had us switch from our usual soaps. I have always wondered if there was a connection. > I'm an anesthesiologist... You can't be. They are smart people. I should know. I married one. Brian Edmonton, Alberta > > > He's got a big problem alright. But if he identify the chemicals that cause the > reaction [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > is odd because we use neoprene as a latex substitue. That's why this caught my interest > and I googled it. Hi there. Well, it seems to be there. I still have the auticaria (not sure if that is spelled right), and that is more than three weeks after. My skin is as dry as parchment and still covered in itchy hives. My dermatologist has arranged for patch testing for different rubber types, but that cannot be done until this reaction dies down. The only common denominator for all three outbreaks is the wetsuit. The only other explanation I had would have been a bacterial or fungal infection, as the wetsuit in question was hanging in the shed for the winter. However my dermatologist has dismissed that now. Either way, I'm not putting that suit back on until the tests have established what the cause is. The third reaction has been soo strong, I'd fear another exposure to the allergen would be worse. I'd probably rather cut my skin of before I'd bear an even stronger reaction. Trust me, this was pretty nasty. Tests have shown that I am not allergic to latex, so I have taken the plunge and ordered a dry suit. It does mean it's the end of my surfing days though ... or has anyone ever seen a surfer with a drysuit? Cheers, Marcus > Tests have shown that I am not allergic to latex, so I have taken the plunge > and ordered a dry suit. It does mean it's the end of my surfing days though > ... or has anyone ever seen a surfer with a drysuit? I've managed to windsurf in a drysuit, which was, er, insteresting - for the flexibility you would require you'd be looking at a made to measure in some form of strech membrane I guess. I'd be a bit worried about damaging it if I did it more often though. I've also managed to (just about) waterski, but it wasn't pretty. It might be better to get a proper diving drysuit (with valves etc) for diving and a sailing drysuit (much cheaper, much lighter, ankle seals rather than boots) for surfing etc. If you are getting a drysuit you may want to think about putting wellington boots (not sure what those are called in the US) on the bottom, as mostly suits seem to come with neoprene boots. HTH, Ben SignatureBen Panter, Edinburgh My name (no spaces)@bigfoot which is a com. > Either way, I'm not putting that suit back on until the tests have > established what the cause is. The third reaction has been soo strong, I'd > fear another exposure to the allergen would be worse. I'd probably rather > cut my skin of before I'd bear an even stronger reaction. Trust me, this was > pretty nasty. You're not allergic to latex, you're probably allergic to either the neoprene or the glue that is used to bind the fabric lining to the rubber... The problem is that you might be allergic to one brand of neoprene and not another... It can be a rather painful trial and error experience trying to find a wetsuit to which you're not allergic... Many of the wetsuit manufacturers have their products manufactured overseas and cannot tell you which type of neoprene they are using, much less even guarantee that it will be consistant between production runs... It's also quite possible that you are allergic to the glue that bonds the lining to the rubber and if that is the case, you've got yet another variable between production runs on a single manufacturer... I found that the unlined wetsuits seriously reduce my allergic reaction... Enough so that I can put up with it with minimal discomfort... I also tried using a spray polyurethane / rubber on the fabric lining of a wetsuit and although it was rather difficult to don, it did reduce the reaction significantly... Putting a dive skin and t-shirt on did not make a difference though... I found something here: http://www.adventuredivingeuro.com/nl/nieuws.htm The reaction may be due to a chemical accelerator added to the neoprene. Adam |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.