The two most popular forms of dedicated fetish wear are leather and latex. When putting together your own wardrobe there are a number of things to consider and many times leather gets argued against for numerous reasons. But many people are unaware that it is possible to have an allergy to natural latex rubber. There isn't a definitive number in the United States it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the general population has any kind of reaction. However it is possible to develop an allergy over time with up to 12 percent of health care staffers becoming sensitive due to increased exposure to latex products.

Type I reactions can be severe and are similar to what some people experience with bee stings. People with this kind of reaction can get a blood test done to be certain. Fortunately this form of reaction is rare.

Type IV  reaction comes from skin contact and appears as a skin rash. It would be similar to poison ivy and there may be a slight delay in it first coming up. Contact tests can be done to verify this.

It is also possible to just be having irritant contact dermatitis. There is the most common negative reaction. It usually shows up on the hands and comes from too frequent washing, use of hand sanitizers and the powder coatings used with gloves. This isn't a true allergy.

If you have any questions always check with a physician. And don't fret that you'll be missing out on anything. There are a number of other alternatives for form fitting fetwear if you do the research into what is most compatible with your taste and health.

Barbie Q.