| Better
Latex Than Never
Written
and moderated by Adrienne Gusoff
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Dear
Babe:
While I'm all for safe sex, in theory, I have a very real problem
with condoms. Whenever I wear one, my penis gets all red and itchy,
and it stays that way for days afterwards. When I tell this to the
women I'm dating, they all think I'm just handing them some line so
I don't have to wear one. The truth is, just thinking about what happens
when I wear a condom turns my nice hard woody into limp linguine.
I don't have this reaction with lambskin condoms, but I know they
do not protect against HIV, so that defeats half the purpose of wearing
one. My sex life is really suffering. Help!
-- The Itchy and Scratchy Show
Dear Itchy:
I'm not a doctor (but I play one on TV) and it sounds to me as if
you have a latex allergy, which is nothing to be taken lightly.
Latex allergies have reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Many
scientists suspect the astronomic increase in the use of rubber gloves
as the culprit. Where they were once used mainly by doctors, they
are now worn by everyone from garbage men to child care and food workers
to almost everyone in health care. Where annual use was once about
300 million pairs, it's now up to nearly 10 billion!
Such demand has overwhelmed manufacturers, mostly in Malaysia, who
reportedly do not have the time to cure the rubber properly. The uncured
proteins attach to the powder inside the gloves. Once airborne, they
are inhaled, triggering allergic reactions. Symptoms range from sniffles
and watery eyes to a rash to full out anaphylactic shock. Once highly
sensitized, a person's life become hell in this world where rubber
is used in everything: Band-Aids, fabrics, tires, rubber gloves used
by food workers, even the innocent party balloon.
Though it sounds as if your allergy is not too severe, be aware that
sensitivity can rapidly and unexpectedly escalate. (Not to scare you,
but I've heard horror stories galore!) For protection during sex,
you can use non-latex condoms such as Avanti or Durex.
I strongly urge you to seek the advice of an allergist before things
escalate. Then, contact National Latex Allergy Network (formerly ELASTIC)
at (610) 436-4801 or visit www.latex-allergy.org. They will provide
a free info pack full of helpful hints and general information.
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