Latex allergy & safer sex

[herselves.livejournal.com]

(I'm not actually allergic to latex, I just happened to be wondering...)

If someone was allergic to latex, what alternatives are there to latex gloves and dental dams? Are polyurethane gloves &/or dental dams made, and if so, are they as effective/comfortable/etc as the latex ones?

thank you!

Comments

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

I use vinyl gloves, myself. They're harder to put on because they don't stretch, and they fit more loosely, but it's better than having an allergic reaction. :) Of course, I haven't worn latex gloves in years, so it's hard for me to compare.

[herselves.livejournal.com]

Ah, I never even thought of vinyl. Are vinyl gloves thicker than latex ones?

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

A little, I think, but I'm not sure.

If you're looking into it for someone else, make sure to get powder-free gloves as well. Some people aren't just allergic to the latex, but also to the powder used to make the gloves easier to get on and off.

When I need them, I usually use something like these ones (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008GMHCA/qid=1142795620/sr=8-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-1150133-6403829?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=1064954).

[nephron.livejournal.com]

I use vinyl gloves for work- they're thicker and looser, but I actually find them more comfortable (and less fiddly) because of that.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Nitrile, vinyl, poly gloves.

Silicone dental dams can be found at dental supply companies.

[geminigirl]

In the past, I've used vinyl or nitrile gloves for digital penetration, and plastic wrap for oral sex. There are polyurethane dental dams available, though I've never used them-I actually like using plastic wrap, because I can have any size piece I want, and it molds nicely to my partners.

[viellen]

I also use vinyl gloves. Honestly I prefer them to latex. I do massage work and vinyl is less slippery/stretchy and they usually come without powder inside (wheras one has to seek out powderless latex gloves). Those can also be cut up to create dental dams. And yes, they are just as effective. In some ways they're more effective as they don't degrade with most oils (as latex can).

Nitrile is a "cheaper" version of vinyl that can also be used, as can polyurethane as you mentioned.

[nato.livejournal.com]

Saran wrap. No joke. I know someone wants to challenege this.

"Saran Wrap is the only plastic wrap to have been tested by the FDA for it's ability to stop viruses -- specifically, the Herpes Simplex virus, which is comparable in size to HIV. In the 1993 study published in the CDC Daily Advisory, Saran Wrap worked remarkably well at halting the transmission of virus-sized particles."

Also, you can cut up a polyurethane condom and use it.

[mynameismaryjo.livejournal.com]

hah thats awesome. saran wrap companies should mention that in their commercials. "covers food and vulvas!"

[nato.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[ravrhi.livejournal.com]

Just make sure not to use the "microwave safe" saran wrap, since that has tiny little holes for letting out steam.

[oh--------brad.livejournal.com]

I've only ever seen nitrile gloves in my doctor's office - they're purple!

[autumn-sylver.livejournal.com]

There are vinyl gloves (as already mentioned), there are a sort of rubber type of glove that's not latex (I don't even know if these have a name. They had them in the lab in school when I was taking a lab technician course, but they were just in an orange and white box that said "non-latex"), and there are nitrile gloves (they're blue, and I think they also come in purple). None of these are as stretchy as latex, but the rubbery non-latex gloves stretch more than vinyl or nitrile.

[willucry4me.livejournal.com]

saran wrap?