Neoprene/Latex allergy?!

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WetDane

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Hi Ya'll,

A friend of mine was interested indiving - up until the moment she realized that there is a substantial amount of Latex or Neoprene involved... She is fine with silicone.

Any ideas - as you know I'm in Seattle so cold water is the way to go...
Maybe this is really for the Medicine board - but I would like to hear if anyone have experience and practical solutions for this - assume that technical and penetration will on the agenda in the future...

Cheers,
Terkel
 
Hi Terkel,

The first order of business is to determine exactly what your friend is allergic to, and how severely. Also, she needs to appreciate that scuba equipment other than thermal protection suits may contain latex, such as certain parts in some second stages.

If she only reacts to latex, but not to neoprene, then the problem is solved--go with a 7-9 mm wetsuit or a dry suit with neoprene rather than latex seals.

To her benefit, neoprene allergy is only an occasional finding in divers. If she does react to neoprene, but only mildly, sometimes wearing undergarments of cloth, lycra, thermal fleece, etc., does the job. She should, however, be aware that repeated exposures can cause allergic reactions of that sort to become more severe over time. Since such reactions can result in serious problems u/w, like shortness of breath or even respiratory collapse, this must be carefully monitored.

I would advise her to start with a trip to the allergist in order to determine her sensitivity (ies). She should obtain medical clearance to safely dive with the various products used the manufacture of her gear.

Best of luck.

DocVikingo






 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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